It all started well for Martin Koopman at Hearts but a poor run of results, the Dutch gaffer is already finding himself under pressure at Hearts of Oak.
The 67-year-old is struggling to get the best out of a Hearts squad which seems to be lacking motivation at the moment and that translates into pressure from all angles as the club battles to beat the drop.
The Phobians have made a habit out of sacking managers over the past decade with almost a conveyor belt of men brought into the club in the hope of adding to their impressive trophy haul. We take a look at potential candidates to take over the hot seat at Hearts should Koopman be sacked.
Yaw Preko
A former player of the club, Preko would simply take a nanosecond to say ‘yes’ should he be offered the position of a manager.
Having worked with the club before as an assistant to Kenichi Yatsuhashi, Preko would relish the opportunity to return to the club that shot him to prominence during his playing days and help restore the fortunes of the club.
The ever-positive Preko boasts strong man-management skills and a preference for an attacking approach, which could be music to the ears of toothless Hearts’ struggling strike force.
Charles Akonnor
The former Black Stars manager has been hotly linked to a move to Hearts on more than one occasion, and you can expect his name to once again be in the frame should Koppman be axed.
The 49-year-old has never hidden his desire to return to the club he managed in 2012 albeit briefly, but whether he has the heart and stomach for relegation dogfight is open to debate.
It is time Hearts started planning for the future and Akonnor could give them a good balance between European knowledge and experience in the domestic league having previously managed Ashantigold, Kotoko, Sekondi Eleven Wise, Dreams FC and Hearts, should they decide to dispense with Koopman.
Mas-Ud Didi Dramani
Given the scarcity of available managers, Hearts could turn their attention to Mas-Ud Didi Dramani. The former Kotoko manager is in fact in work with the Ghana Football Association. Currently working with the Black Stars as one of the two assistants of Chris Hughton, Dramani is also the head coach of the Black Galaxies.
With several years of experience in management that has seen him work with the Black Maidens, Right to Dream Academy, Asante Kotoko and FC Nordsjælland, the 57-year-old could potentially offer that head needed at Hearts at the moment. He guided Kotoko to win the league in the 2012-13 season.
Dramani was linked with the Phobians before the arrival of Koopman, and could be well propelled back onto the club’s radar should they begin the hunt for Koopman’s replacement.
