Hearts of Oak chairman Togbe Afede addresses coaching instability, urges fan support for stability

Published on: 28 December 2023

Executive Board Chairman of Hearts of Oak Togbe Afede XIV, has attributed technical instability within the club to a disruptive pattern among some supporters.

The club currently without a substantive coach have worked with about four different coaches from the beginning of last season.

Expressing concerns over this recurrent issue, Afede highlighted the unsettling trend where fans, initially supportive of newly appointed coaches, later turn against them, creating pressure that can lead to resignations or terminations.

Hearts of Oak recently bid farewell to Dutch trainer Martin Koopman, adding to the club's ongoing coaching transitions. Afede voiced his dismay at the inconsistency in supporter allegiance, which, at times, places unwarranted pressure on coaching staff.

"When we got Boadu from Medeama, the insults were plenty. People even labeled him a fake person on some of the Hearts platforms. Today, they want him back; it is unbelievable," noted Afede.

He emphasised the impact of these volatile relationships on coaches, citing instances where positive early endorsements transform into adversarial dynamics, causing disruptions.

The bankroller also recalled the case of Kenichi, who left the club after what looked like a successful spell, attributing his departure to changing dynamics and pressure.

"Sometimes these relationships and the people who are anti-progress for Hearts of Oak mess the coach around; they mess them up. Clearly, one of them is Kenichi, who was doing so well. After he won four, five matches, he made new friends. Then he turned against us; he told us what we had never heard before. He wanted to go on leave, and we could give him a leave, and he left," Afede explained.

The continuous coaching transitions within the club have become a point of concern, with Hearts of Oak grappling with the need for stability amid fan dynamics.

The club are currently enduring hard times in the Ghana Premier League having failed to win a game in their last five matches and currently sit 11th after 16 games.

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