Hearts of Oak have officially announced that Dutchman Martin Hendrikus Wilhemus Koopman is the club’s new head coach ahead of the upcoming season.
Rene Hiddink, the technical director at Hearts and a fellow Dutchman, recommended Koopman to the club, and the Phobians agreed to work with him.
Koopman’s background includes a successful playing career as a defender, during which he showcased his skills at prominent Dutch clubs such as Go Ahead Eagles, FC Twente, and Cambuur Leeuwarden.
Transitioning into coaching, Koopman has accumulated valuable experience over the years, having coached the national teams of Maldives and Aruba, and clubs such as Al-Orouba in Oman and RKC Waalwijk in the Dutch Eredivisie.
Koopman served as Al-Nasr SC in UAE. That was before he worked as an assistant coach at Sparta Rotterdam and Roda JC in his home country.
He also worked as head coach in Africa when he was in charge of DR Congo giants AS Vita Club from January 2000 to December 2000.
The 67-year-old previously worked as Chief Scout of the defunct Red Bull Football Academy in Ghana between January 2013 and June 2014.
Hearts will commence their Ghana Premier League campaign on September 15, with the Phobians facing a tricky test in their opening game against Real Tamale United at the Aliu Mahama Stadium.
