An Accra Hearts of Oak link largely informed Aduana Stars’ decision to axe league-winning coach Yusif Abubakar on Tuesday, Footy-Ghana has been reliably informed.
Though his contract was running out, the Ghanaian champions were not fully decided on the future of the quite experienced trainer until ownership was taken aback by a ‘revelation’ on Monday, a club source said.
Coach Abubakar, who has has a challenging second season at the Fire Club, had allegedly held talks for a reunion with the Phobians.
“It was at the Ghalca/Club owners meeting with the Liaison team on Monday that the club [Aduana] got a hint from the Hearts Board Chairman and CEO that the coach [Yusif Abubakar] had signed a pre-contract with Hearts. So they wanted to get him off quick irrespective of the fact that there is a match coming up next week Wednesday.
“It was after Tuesday’s training that Dormaahene [Oseadeeyo Nana Agyeman Badu II] phoned the Board Chairman and directed him to see to the exit of the coach,” the source explained to Footy-Ghana.com.
The coach is said to be owed some salaries and bonuses.
READ RELATED: Aduana sack Yusif Abubakar
Return on the cards?
In his previous stint, Yusif Abubakar was dismissed by Hearts for technical incompetence with one match to end the season eight years ago.
He had led the Hearts team to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Asante Kotoko who paraded an Under-20 side in a May 9th disaster anniversary match. Three days later, the club decided to sack him with Board member Frank Nelson explaining that the coach’s “mistakes had overflown his cup and that he must go.”
Yusif Abubakar was initially the assistant to Egyptian coach Ayman El Yamani, who was sacked on Boxing Day 2009 after 11 league matches. The former Gamba All Blacks trainer supervised the Phobians for 18 league games before he got axed days to the final game against Heart of Lions, a side he later coached.
Footy-Ghana.com, meanwhile, understands that indeed Hearts of Oak established interest in re-engaging Yusif Abubakar days after axing coach Henry Wellington but we are unable to confirm a pre-contract was reached between the two parties.
