Hearts of Oak, have unveiled Dutch coach Martin Koopman as their new head coach.
Koopman, a former manager of the Maldives national team, was introduced to the club’s players during a training session on Thursday, where they secured an impressive 11-1 victory over lower-tier side Miracle Land FC in a preseason match.
While the exact length of Koopman’s contract has not been disclosed, he takes over from Serbian Slavko Matic, who was the Phobians’ most recent substantive coach.
Koopman’s arrived in Ghana last weekend, aligning with the Phobians’ preparations for the upcoming 2023-24 season set to commence in September.
Following Matic’s departure, Hearts of Oak had been actively seeking a new coach. Matic, who had taken over from Samuel Boadu midway through the previous season on a two-year contract, was compelled to leave due to a string of poor results.
David Ocloo, the former assistant coach, took on the interim managerial role but subsequently parted ways with the club after guiding them to a 12th-place finish last season.
Reports suggest that the club’s technical director, Rene Hiddink, advocated for Koopman to be brought in.
At 67 years old, Koopman, a former Netherlands defender, boasts an extensive managerial history, having previously overseen teams such as AS Vita Club, FC Den Bosch, and BV Veendam, among others. He has also managed national teams including Aruba and Saudi Arabia.
