Ghana Premier League: Kosta Papic determined to succeed at Hearts of Oak

Hearts of Oak gaffer, Kosta Papic has vowed to do his best to succeed at the club following his reappointment.

The Serbian trainer was named as the head coach on Tuesday following a meeting with the Board of the club.

The 60-year-old Serbian was in charge of the Phobians when they last won the league in the 2008/09 season.

Speaking after his appointment, he observed that the rainbow boys have in the past years struggled to win the domestic top-flight and has promised to do his best by winning the league.

“Accra Hearts of Oak have not won the league in the past 11 years. They have a target of winning the trophy. That is good for me also, good for the players who are currently in the squad, officials of the team and to the supporters as well,” he told Wontumi FM.

“So I will do my best to succeed on that, with time we will see, I’m here for them.”

The 60-year-old who was in charge of the Phobians when they last won the league in the 2008/09 season has replaced Edward Nii Odoom has been in charge of the club for the past one year following the departure of Kim Grant after matchday 1 during the 2019/20 football season.

Odoom who was named as the interim manager of the club was expected to take charge of the club. He supervised their game against Ashgold which ended 2-2 at the Accra Sports Stadium before losing 1-0 to Inter Allies.

Following the appointment of Papic, Odoom has been demoted to the junior side, Auroras.

However, Joseph Asare Bediako, who joined the club from Berekum Chelsea is now the assistant to Papic.

Papic has urged the supporters of the Accra giants to be patient with him in his second stint with the side.

“I would like to tell the supporters to be patient with me, I have just arrived,” Papic said.

“I did not have a pre-season with the club and I barely know the players here. I will start training with the squad to know what to do.”

Papic will begin his tenure on Friday when the Phobians host Karela United FC on Matchday 4 of the 2020/21 Ghana Premier League.

This is Kosta Papic’s second stint with the Accra Hearts of Oak.

Hearts of Oak at a point were runner-away league leaders with a 14-point gap after the start of the second round, but they lost form and suffered three defeats on the trot to narrow the points gap to five.

Papic was sacked after a nine-man King Faisal managed to beat Hearts of Oak under his watch.

He will be aiming to end the club's 11 years trophy drought.