The 2023 Presidential Cup has been won by Accra Hearts of Oak after assistant coach David Ocloo led them to a 1-0 loss to Asante Kotoko.
David Ocloo served as a stand-in coach in the betPawa Match Week 20 game, which also doubled as a Presidential Cup game, after the head coach, Slavko Matic, was accosted by supporters following a loss to Great Olympics.
Without their head coach Slavko Matic, Accra Hearts of Oak won all three points on Sunday at the Accra Sports Stadium, helping the Phobians claim their sixth President’s Cup victory and moving them up to fourth place in the league standings with just their second victory in five games.
The supporters of Accra Hearts of Oak earlier on Friday morning, after they lost to Accra Great Olympics, got angry and prevented the 46-year-old tactician from taking charge of training at their Pobiman Training Complex when he was getting ready with the players.
The coach received bruises during the attacks by the supporters at the training grounds, which prompted him to seek security protection from the Ghana Police Service, and he was advised to stay away from the team until further notice.
The angry fans who heckled and physically assaulted Matic were led by Kobby Jones, a club spokesperson for the National Chapters Committee. Jones defended the fans’ behaviour.
“There are far too many complaints. He has let many good players leave since his arrival, and he refuses to take in players we recommend. He wants the players to come and defend themselves,” Jones stated during an interview.
After a spirited 1-0 victory over Asante Kotoko on Sunday afternoon in Accra, the supporters have come to trust assistant coach David Ocloo more than Slavko Matic, who according to reports would be fired and replaced by Ocloo on an interim basis until the end of the season.
A board member of the rainbow outfit disclosed to Asempa FM that the Board of Directors of Accra Hearts of Oak will announce the future of the Serbian since David Ocloo is now in charge.
“The future of Slavko Matic will be determined by the board. I cannot confirm if he is staying or not because we (the board) have not met to decide on that. If we meet and make a decision on the future of Matic, the fans and the public will be informed,” Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe disclosed to Asempa FM.
