Ghanaian giants Accra Hearts of Oak have officially named Mas-Ud Didi Dramani as their new head coach, with the experienced tactician signing a two-year contract on Friday.
The 59-year-old replaces Ivorian manager Abubakar Ouattara, whose tenure at the club spanned a season and a half. Ouattara guided the Phobians to a respectable fourth-place finish in the recently concluded 2024/25 Ghana Premier League campaign.
Dramani's return to the domestic top flight signals a bold new chapter for the former continental champions, as they look to restore their dominance both locally and on the African stage.
His vast coaching résumé, which includes stints with the national team and a reputation for nurturing talent, is expected to inject renewed discipline and identity into the squad.
Kickgh.com breaks down everything that you need to know about Hearts’ new manager.
He is an ex-footballer
Mas-Ud Didi Dramani began his football journey with Bolga Soccer Masters before moving to Tamale Hearts Babies. He enjoyed a notable professional career with Real Tamale United, where he rose to captain the side, and had a brief spell with Ebusua Dwarfs before retiring in 2000.
Coaching Career
After hanging up his boots, Mas-Ud Didi Dramani pursued a degree in Physical Education with a focus on Football Coaching at the University of Education, Winneba. He returned to Tamale as a PE teacher at Kumbungu SHS, but his coaching ambitions quickly took centre stage.
He founded Guan United, steering the Division Two side to the National Division One League and three consecutive middle league appearances. His growing reputation earned him a role as assistant coach of the Black Queens from 2009 to 2011, while also serving as a coach educator at the Right to Dream Academy.
Didid’s breakthrough came in 2012 when he guided Ghana’s U-17 women’s team, the Black Maidens, to a historic bronze medal at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan—the first African team to win a medal at the tournament. That feat earned him the SWAG Coach of the Year honour.
His club journey includes spells with Asante Kotoko—Hearts of Oak’s fiercest rivals—and Danish side FC Nordsjælland. Most recently, he served as assistant coach to Otto Addo during Ghana’s campaign at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Trophy-Laden Spell with Asante Kotoko
Didi enjoyed a glittering three-year spell with Kumasi Asante Kotoko, guiding the Porcupine Warriors to an impressive haul of silverware. Under his leadership, the club clinched two Ghana Premier League titles, one MTN FA Cup, and two Ghana Super Cup crowns.
His crowning moment came during the 2013–14 season, when he masterminded a historic domestic double—winning both the league and the FA Cup—while also adding the Super Cup to complete a remarkable treble of local honours. That same season, he was deservedly named the 2013–14 First Capital Plus Premier League Coach of the Year after securing the league title for a second consecutive time with the club.
Dramani’s tactical prowess and winning mentality were further recognised when he was crowned the 2014 MTN FA Cup Coach of the Year, firmly cementing his legacy as one of the most successful coaches in Asante Kotoko’s recent history.
Tactical Approach
Didi Dramani favours an aggressive, high-pressing style similar to Jürgen Klopp and Arne Slot, with a strong emphasis on wing play to create chances. Offensively bold yet tactically disciplined, he also draws inspiration from Pep Guardiola’s possession-based methods. His charismatic presence and modern football philosophy could inject new energy into Hearts of Oak.
