By Issah Olegor
Former Hearts of Oak head coach Aboubakar Ouattara has opened up on the circumstances surrounding his reassignment at the club, his control over player recruitment during his tenure, and his views on the current goalkeeping situation at the Phobians, following his departure from the dugout at the end of the 2024/25 Ghana Premier League season.
Ouattara, an Ivorian tactician, was appointed head coach of Hearts of Oak midway through the 2023/24 season at a time when the club was struggling for stability on and off the pitch.
He oversaw a transitional period marked by squad rebuilding, tactical reorganisation and an attempt to restore competitiveness to the club, one of the most decorated football institutions.
Despite mixed results, Ouattara remained in charge until the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign.
In June 2025, the Hearts of Oak Board of Directors announced a major technical shake-up, appointing former Asante Kotoko coach Didi Dramani as the new head coach.
In the same statement, the club revealed that Ouattara had been reassigned from his role as head coach to serve as a technical advisor to the board, tasked with handling special assignments and offering strategic input at the management level.
Speaking in separate interviews with Top FM and Top Sports on January 8, 2026, Ouattara admitted that the decision came as a disappointment.
He explained that he had already developed a clear technical roadmap and squad plan for the upcoming season and believed he deserved the opportunity to implement it.
According to him, being moved away from the touchline at that stage of the project was difficult to accept, given the work he felt he had laid as head coach.
Addressing long-standing speculation that influential figures within the club forced certain players on him during his time in charge, Ouattara firmly dismissed the claims.
He acknowledged that recommendations were occasionally made by club officials, as is common in many football setups, but insisted that final decisions on recruitment and squad selection always rested with him.
He maintained that no player was imposed on him against his will throughout his tenure.
Beyond reflecting on his exit, Ouattara also weighed in on Hearts of Oak’s current goalkeeping situation. With first-choice goalkeeper Benjamin Asare sidelined for weeks due to injury, Solomon Agbasi stepped in and delivered a series of impressive performances, prompting debate among fans and pundits over who should start once Asare returns to full fitness. Ouattara, however, backed Asare to reclaim his place, describing him as the safest and most reliable option for the club when fully fit.
He noted that while Agbasi has performed admirably in Asare’s absence, the former Black Stars number one still holds the edge in experience and consistency.
Ouattara added that Asare’s return to regular club football is also crucial for his ambitions at international level, particularly as Ghana builds towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Ouattara’s comments offer rare insight into the internal dynamics at Hearts of Oak during a turbulent period and shed light on the challenges faced by coaches operating under intense scrutiny at top-flight Ghanaian clubs.
Despite his disappointment, he remains closely linked to the club in his advisory role, even as Hearts of Oak begin a new chapter under Didi Dramani.
