Outgoing Hearts of Oak head coach Aboubakar Ouattara has expressed his disappointment over the club’s decision to appoint a new head coach without informing him.
The club confirmed the appointment of Mas-Ud Didi Dramani as their new head coach on Friday, June 20, 2025. The former Black Stars assistant coach signed a two-year deal, marking his return to Premier League management for the first time since 2014.
Ouattara, who led the Phobians for the past two seasons, has strongly criticized the manner in which the transition was handled, calling it a serious administrative error.
“You cannot appoint a coach while another coach is still in place. That is a big administrative mistake,” Ouattara said in an interview with Pure FM.
“If you want to appoint a new coach, at least speak to me. But instead, they completely ignored me.”
The Ivorian tactician guided Hearts of Oak to a fourth-place finish in the 2024/25 Ghana Premier League season. Despite missing out on silverware, he was expected to remain a key part of the club’s technical setup.
Following the coaching change, Ouattara has now been reassigned to a new role as Special Advisor to the club’s Board of Directors.
