Hearts keep faith in Koopman despite poor start

Accra Hearts of Oak's leadership continues to place its unwavering trust in coach Martinus Koopman, even in the face of challenging early-season results and calls by a section of their fans for him to be sacked.

The team's initial struggles had prompted calls from some fans for the return of Coach Samuel Boadu, who had previously guided Hearts to a Premier League and FA Cup double three seasons ago before his departure during the 2021/22 season.

However, recent weeks have seen a transformation in the team's fortunes, offering the club's management a glimmer of hope. Last Wednesday, Hearts secured an emphatic 3-1 victory over reigning champions Medeama at the Accra Stadium, followed by a commendable 1-1 draw against Karela United in Tamale three days later.

Turnaround

Nonetheless, Hearts' management has seen light at the end of the tunnel and opted to keep faith in Koopman -- the club have remained unbeaten in their last five matches, with an outstanding fixture still to be played. 

An insider within the Hearts camp revealed to The Graphic Sports that the club’s leadership is committed to supporting the 67-year-old Koopman coach because they believe the Phobians are showing signs of improvement under the coach’s guidance.

Importantly, Coach Boadu was never considered as a replacement for Koopman, as his previous departure was due to poor performance, and he had not taken up any coaching roles until he was appointed coach of the national under-20 team, the Black Satellites, a few months ago.

According to the Hearts source, the responsibility for the team's initial underperformance should not be placed solely on Koopman but also on the players. Despite receiving competitive salaries that were promptly paid, the management found it puzzling why the players were not putting forth their best efforts on the field. 

Players’ responsibility

“Hearts of Oak players receive better salaries than other clubs in the country, and that their salaries were also paid promptly, so the club’s management did not understand why the players were not working extra hard on the pitch,” said the source.

The insider revealed that the club's management and representatives of the supporters' group recently held candid discussions with the players ahead of their game against Medeama last week.

The Graphic Sports understands that during the discussions, the Hearts management warned the players that their salaries could be withheld if the poor results persisted, while the supporters expressed their disappointment with the team's initial performance.