Serbian coach Kosta Papic has been named as the head coach of Accra Hearts of Oak, replacing Edward Odoom.
Deep-throat sources at the club confirmed that Papic was handed the job on Monday following a meeting between the club’s Board Chairman and majority shareholder, Togbe Afede XIV, and another director of the club, Vincent Sowah Odotei.
Details of his contract were not readily available.
Odoom, who had been in charge of the Phobians since the exit of the club’s Director of Football and head coach, Kim Grant, in December last year, has been handed responsibility for Hearts’ junior side, Auroras, with immediate effect.
The 60-year-old Papic returns to the Phobians 11 years after leading them to the 2008/09 Ghana Premier League title during his one-year stint with the club. Incidentally, it was the last time Hearts won Ghana’s elite league.
The Serbian’s presence in the stands at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday when Hearts lost 0-1 to Inter Allies immediately fuelled speculations that he was set to be handed the top job, as the Phobians seek to reclaim their lost glory.
He will be assisted by Asare Bediako, who was appointed assistant coach in November.
Papic takes over a side that has managed just a point in two matches this season and sits at the bottom of the league log. His first assignment will be to lead the Phobians against league leaders Karela United in the fourth-week fixture in Accra on Friday.
Since leaving the shores of Ghana, the Serbian continued his career on the continent where he coached various clubs, including Young Africans of Tanzania, South African sides Black Leopards, Chippa United, Polokwane City, and Royal Eagles.
He was appointed national coach of eSwatini (formerly known as Swaziland) in December 2018 and left the role in December 2019.
