Frank Nelson Nwokolo, a board member of Hearts of Oak, has identified the frequent changes in the club’s technical department as a significant factor contributing to their underwhelming performances in recent years.
Apart from a brief period of success under former coach Samuel Boadu, where the Phobians enjoyed a trophy run, the club has struggled to replicate the level of dominance witnessed in the early 2000s, which saw them clinch prestigious titles, including the CAF Confederation Cup.
One of the disappointing campaigns in recent memory was the previous season, during which Hearts of Oak finished 12th in the Ghana Premier League. They narrowly escaped relegation on the final day of the season.
The team recorded 12 wins, 10 draws, and 12 defeats in the league while experiencing early exits from both the CAF Confederation Cup and the FA Cup.
Addressing the concerning state of the club, Nelson Nwokolo pointed to the frequent changes in the technical department as a major contributing factor to the instability.
“One of the most interesting challenges that we had was that our technical department has not been stable. There has been a lot of change in our technical department from Papic (Kosta) and then we get Matic (Slavko) I mean there’s been a lot of change in our technical department and I can just always guarantee you a team with such a shaky situation, always finds instability at its doorstep.”
Samuel Boadu’s tenure as head coach was cut short after leading the Phobians to victory in the Ghana Premier League and the FA Cup at the end of the 2020/2021 season. The slow start to the following season led to his replacement by Serbian coach Slavko Matic, who also failed to make a positive impact and faced criticism from fans.
Assistant coach David Ocloo took charge until the conclusion of the season, and the club is yet to announce a new coach ahead of the upcoming season, as they seek stability and improvement.
