Hearts of Oak's board have swiftly responded to former Dutch coach Martin Koopman's recent accusations, vehemently denying any interference with team selection and labeling his statements as "very distasteful."
Koopman was appointed to lead the club in the ongoing season following the exit of Slavko Matic and David Ocloo. However, the coach could not meet expectations as he struggled to churn out positive results much to the displeasure of the fans as well as the management leading to his early exit some weeks ago.
In the aftermath of his sack, the experienced Dutch trainer revealed that he was not to blame for the club's failure under his charge due to interference in team selection by authorities.
The Ghana Premier League side addressed the controversy in a press conference held on December 4, 2023, shedding light on the circumstances surrounding Koopman's departure and refuting his recent claims.
"We believe strongly that cooperation is what can give you good results," the board asserted during the press conference.
"The Board finds Koopman's statement very distasteful. The Board has never said to any coach or Koopman that he shouldn't use the players he mentioned."
After Koopman's exit, Abdul Bashiru has been tasked to lead the team on an interim basis. The Accra-based club faced a setback in match week 13, suffering a 1-0 defeat against Aduana Stars, the league leaders. Currently positioned 9th on the league table with 16 points after 13 games, Hearts of Oak are gearing up for a crucial league fixture against arch-rivals Asante Kotoko.