I Was Forbidden By Hearts - Kenichi

Former Hearts of Oak head coach, Kenichi Yatsuashi has revealed that the board stopped him from breaking the news of his departure to the players.

The 45-year-old was relieved of his post as coach of the Phobians after the two parties agreed to part ways mutually, though many hold the opinion that there is some hidden truth behind his dismissal.

But speaking on the GTV Sports+ Inquest show, the Japanese-American cleared the air, revealing that he gave the board two options; either to make his assistant, Yaw Preko, act as coach in his absence whilst he pursued a coaching course away in Japan for 25 days or terminate his contract, but the Togbe Afede XIV-led board chose the latter.

“I didn’t have a chance to talk to the players as it wasn’t clear what the decision of management will be.

“After the meeting with the board, they asked me to hold on with my decision to meet the players and announce that I was leaving therefore I respected their decision.”

“The first time I met the players was on Wednesday morning as the team was preparing for training, as at then, they already knew (I was leaving the club). The only player I could talk to over the phone was the captain, Robin Gnagne, after he tried reaching me on several occasions.”

The spiky-haired coach is not expected to accept a new job until after August, by which time he would have completed a scheduled coaching course beginning in July.

I Was Forbidden By Hearts - Kenichi