Hearts of Oak are poised to name former Asante Kotoko coach, Dr. Prosper Narteh Ogum as their new head coach. This decision comes as the club prepares to officially terminate the employment of Serbian coach Slavko Matic, with whom they are currently embroiled in a dispute over access to training sessions leading up to their upcoming matches.
Matic’s performance has come under scrutiny due to the team’s poor results in the Ghana Premier League, despite a recent 3-1 win over Berekum Chelsea. After losing to city rival Great Olympics in a midweek match, Hearts of Oak has been planning to fire Matic, and discussions to this effect have already taken place.
According to a report from Kumasi-based radio station Oyerepa FM, Hearts of Oak is now ready to officially dismiss Matic and replace him with Dr. Narteh Ogum. The University of Cape Coast lecturer, who has been largely absent from academia since leaving Asante Kotoko at the end of last season, has since focused on the industrial field. He was recently appointed assistant coach of Ghana’s Black Galaxies and helped guide them to the quarter-finals of the 2023 CHAN tournament in Algeria.
Despite his success, Ogum may still need more on-the-job experience before being considered for the role of Black Stars boss. Several clubs, including Berekum Chelsea, his former side WAFA, and Great Olympics, have expressed interest in appointing him next season, and both Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak are also considering him for the position of head coach.
Asante Kotoko is reportedly considering sacking Seydou Zerbo and re-hiring Ogum or former Black Stars head coach Akwesi Appiah, while Hearts of Oak has already decided to terminate Matic’s employment and appoint Ogum. However, there is reportedly some disagreement among the board members at Hearts of Oak regarding Ogum’s appointment, which may be related to issues that arose after his departure from Asante Kotoko. These issues could potentially affect his position as assistant coach of the Black Galaxies.
