Mas-Ud Didi Dramani was recently named as the new manager of Accra Hearts of Oak SC replacing Aboubakar Ouattara. Under the Ivorian’s stewardship, the Phobians never saw a blueprint developed and established.
What quickly became evident, even for those who deemed his appointment as a necessary evil following poor results on the pitch, is the extent to which considerable frustration set in on the terraces as he was unable to progress Hearts stylistically.
The arrival of Dramani who is known for his predilection for expansive attacking football marks a major departure from his predecessor Ouattara, whose turgid football and bizarre tactical decisions was the reason he wasn’t in the good books of the fans.
Dramani boast of a rich managerial history and but the Phobian family still need to show patience. However, in the modern game, no manager can survive without a quick start.
Here are four things Didi Dramani must do to hit the ground running
Stop the reckless spending
Hearts have taken large punts on many players under the stewardship of Togbe Afede XIV but few of their investments have offered tangible returns so far.
What the Phobians certainly don't need is another summer of egregious spending when they already have young players desperate to make an impression.
A few sensible additions aside, Hearts cannot afford to burden their new coach with another new raft of players. If anything, some of their players need to be shipped out - either on loan or permanently - to give Dramani a less-bloated roster of stars to work with in his first campaign at the club.
Make a fast start in 2025/26
Hearts fans are undoubtedly crying out for a smidge of optimism and there'd be no better way for Didi Dramani to get them on side by making a flying start to the 2025/26 campaign.
Supporters have already put up with some lifeless and downright embarrassing performances in recent years, so Dramani must instil a more resilient core and get points on the board early on to give his doubters something to think about.
Find his best XI and stick with it
Too much chopping and changing over the last few years has held the club back, and so Dramani must use his first few weeks in charge to decide on some key positions.
Strikers need a run of games to get confident, while defenders rely upon mutual understanding to eliminate errors. Too much instability under Ouattara undermined Hearts at both ends. This is unlikely to be the case under Dramani.
Finally, Hearts fans will get to know who their manager likes and dislikes, which in turn should set the ball rolling for a tactical revolution.
Field players in their best – or at least correct – positions
There are many reasons why Ouattara's tenure felt aimless and many strange tactical decisions that suggest he was out of ideas, but chief among them was his odd team selections.
This first point should be easy enough to fix: the former Kotoko manager must avoid the pitfall of putting square pegs in round holes, and no more shoving as many forwards onto the pitch as possible.
Hearts need basic organisation and a clear strategy, something that Dramani will surely work towards. His teams are consistent in playing short-passing aesthetic football.
