Former Hearts of Oak head coach Aboubakar Ouattara has opened up about his disappointment following the club’s decision to reassign him from the dugout to a technical advisor role.
The Ivorian tactician was relieved of his duties at the end of the 2024/25 Ghana Premier League season, as the club’s hierarchy opted for a change in the technical leadership of the first team.
In an official statement released in June 2025, Hearts of Oak confirmed that Ouattara had been reassigned to work directly with the Board of Directors as a technical advisor, shortly after the appointment of Didi Dramani as the club’s new head coach.
“As a special advisor, Ouattara will be working directly with the Board of Directors on special assignments and duties,” the club stated at the time.
However, speaking in an interview with Top FM on January 8, Ouattara admitted that the decision came as a blow, particularly because he had already laid out plans for the upcoming season.
“I felt disappointed after I was informed to perform the role of the technical advisor because I had a template to put to reality as the head coach,” Ouattara said.
Despite accepting the new role, the former Hearts boss made it clear that the timing of the decision was difficult, given his ambitions and vision for the team. His remarks shed further light on the emotional impact of the club’s restructuring as Hearts of Oak chart a new direction under fresh leadership.
