Strand not for Hearts

Accra Hearts of Oak’s hope of landing Swedish Coach Tom Strand appears to have been blocked by Medeama FC who look unwilling to release the coach in spite of reports linking him to the Phobians.

In fact, indications were that Strand, who guided Medeama to win the MTN FA Cup a few weeks ago, was close to taking over the Phobians in a technical shakeup that would see former Hearts and Black  Stars winger Yaw ‘Rush’ Preko returning to his former club as assistant coach.

Preko told the Graphic Sports yesterday that he was excited at the prospects of returning to his mother club in a technical capacity but was still in talks with the Hearts management and had not signed any deal yet.

However, yesterday Medeama’s chief executive, James Essilfie, poured cold water on the reported deal, indicating the Swede was going nowhere, insisting he would stay to lead the club’s Confederation Cup campaign next season.

“Medeama would like to assure our teeming supporters that Tom Strand is going nowhere and will see out the remainder of his contract.

“It does not make practical sense to sell our coach when the club will be heavily engaged in next year’s CAF Confederation Cup,” he said in a statement.

In fact, last week Hearts wrote officially to the Tarkwa-based club seeking the services of their expatriate coach, following which Medeama responded indicating they were willing to release Strand only if the Phobians were ready to meet their financial demands.

Meanwhile, former Hearts coach Herbert Addo is returning to the Tema Stadium to take charge of Inter Allies, a year after he quit the Harbour City side club to replace David Duncan at Hearts.

Two days ago, Allies parted ways with their coach, Paa Kwesi Fabin, despite guiding the club to finish sixth in the just-ended First Capital Plus Premiership.

Coach Addo’s first stint with the Tema-based side in the 2013/14 season was hugely successful after steering them from the relegation zone to the sixth position in the league and  the final of the MTN FA Cup where they lost to Kumasi Asante Kotoko.