‘We want to play like Holland, attacking football’

Hearts of Oak's new manager, Dutchman Martin Koopman, is on a mission to introduce the attacking style of football that characterizes his native country, the Netherlands, to the Ghanaian football club, Hearts of Oak.

Koopman, at 67 years old, witnessed his team secure a 1-0 victory over Nsoatreman FC during an exciting matchday-2 fixture in the Ghana Premier League, held in Accra on Sunday.

In his debut season as Hearts of Oak's manager, Koopman is determined to instill the Dutch attacking football philosophy into the club's playing style.

He spoke about his vision, stating, "We want to play like Holland, attacking football, and that must be possible."

However, Koopman recognized the challenges ahead, acknowledging that his players needed a boost in morale following their preseason performance and a recent loss.

He emphasized the importance of instilling a positive mindset in the team to achieve their goals.

“If you have to see the whole team this week, they are a little bit down.

“Because if you play your pre-season like we did and you expect the next three points, it’s not going to happen.

“So I must put them on their legs again and give them a good feeling and I see that they stand up and they give the first three points.”

The Dutch "total football" system, famously employed by the Netherlands national team in the 1970s, emphasized players' all-around skills, allowing them to perform both defensive and attacking duties seamlessly.

This approach often featured a preferred formation of 4-3-3, resulting in aesthetically pleasing and attacking football.

Hearts of Oak, who faced an initial setback with a loss in their opening match against Real Tamale United, will now set their sights on an upcoming match against Premier League returnees Bofoakwa Tano, to be held at the Sunyani Coronation Park next weekend.

‘We want to play like Holland, attacking football’ — Hearts of Oak manager