Martin Koopman: Hearts of Oak appoint Dutchman as new head coach

The Dutch trainer, who last managed the Maldives national team from 2019 to 2021, joins in time for the commencement of the 2023/24 season.

Koopman was introduced to the squad on Thursday ahead of their pre-season friendly against lower-tier side Miracle Land Football Club.

Hearts had been without a substantive coach since parting ways with Serbian manager Slavko Matic following a series of poor results and a fallout with the supporters last season.

During Matic’s last days in charge of the club, irate fans stormed the team’s training ground at Pobiman, with some even assaulting him.

Following his dismissal, assistant coach David Ocloo was promoted to the role of interim manager till the end of the campaign.

Koopman, however, joins Hearts with some experience managing on the continent, having previously coached AS Vita Club.

New Hearts of Oak coach Martin Koopman Pulse Ghana

Meanwhile, the Phobians are set to construct a 25,000-capacity stadium, the club’s Board Chairman, Togbe Afede XIV, has disclosed.

According to him, the stadium project will kickstart once the club’s ultramodern Pobiman training complex is completed.

He explained that having a stadium is part of the requirements by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to participate in the upcoming African Super League.

The Phobians’ Board Chairman added that the club is already looking for a land, where the stadium will be built.

“After the Pobiman is done, the only thing we don’t have is a big stadium,” Togbe Afede XIV said, as quoted by Joy Sports.

“CAF requires a minimum 25,000 capacity stadium. After all this, that is what we want to do. I can assure you that the board, as visionary and future-oriented as it is, has already started looking for land for that stadium. We are ticking all the boxes but it is not easy.”

Hearts ended the last season in 12th position and will be hoping to improve on that under Koopman.