Former Accra Hearts of Oak defender, Amankwah Mireku, a key member of the club’s iconic 1999/2000 “Invincibles” treble-winning squad, has come to the defense of head coach Aboubakar Ouattara.
Mireku believes that the club’s recent struggles are more about player performance than coaching failures.
According to him, while fans are quick to blame the coach when results don’t go their way, the real issues are connected to the playing unit’s inability to execute on match days.
The coach works with the players all week, but once they step onto the pitch, he relinquishes control,” Mireku said. “If things go wrong on the field, it’s more about the players than the coach.
Head coach for Hearts Of Oak, Aboubakar Ouattara
For me, I don’t understand this narrative. The coach is human; he has his responsibilities and limitations. But when players don’t perform, people immediately point fingers at the coach. It has become the norm in town; once results dip, they say the coach is bad.
Mireku admitted that the coach is not without fault, but insists the blame should not be placed solely on his shoulders.
Of course, the coach may make mistakes but even when a player clearly commits an error, people still blame the coach. That’s unfair.
His comments come at a crucial moment for Hearts of Oak, who had an opportunity to climb up the Ghana Premier League table but faltered due to inconsistent performances.
