Accra Hearts of Oak are on the verge of a U-turn to bring back Coach David Duncan following various contacts among the power brokers within the club since yesterday.
Coach Duncan told Graphic Sports last Monday that his re-engagement by the club, if it was going to happen, would have to be communicated by the club just as his departure was handled.
Having found favour with the club’s support base, he looks certain to return should the call be made by management who fired him by word of mouth.
Club sources confirmed to Graphic Sports yesterday that various contacts were being made to meet the tactician by tomorrow to thrash out the areas of disagreement that had landed them at the point of virtual divorce after 12 months of a working relationship.
And with stalwarts softening their earlier positions, and Aziz Futah, a leading figure of the supporters union, calling for a second chance for the coach, a compromise seems likely within days.
Supporters of the club have protested against the coach’s sacking last Friday, and at Tema last Sunday he enjoyed a kingly ride on the shoulders of the fans, some of whom had forced him to the Tema Stadium to watch their 1-0 victory over Amidaus Professionals.
Although the real reason for the sudden sack has remained under wraps, management had found an alibi in a text message sent by the coach which hinted of his possible resignation in order to join his wife in Sunyani following her transfer from Accra.
It has emerged, however, that the message was sent on October 6, a month earlier to his sacking, at a time the conditions he described in the text message no longer existed.
Indeed, a source close to the coach has revealed that Duncan’s wife resigned from her post at Ghana Post in order that he could continue his job with Hearts, while his intended trip to Sunyani to facilitate the transfer of his wife never happened at all.
Indeed, it has emerged that the coach was booted out based on the text message.
The message sent to the MD of the club stated: “I will be away for a week to Sunyani with my wife tomorrow as she has to go and prepare to settle in at her newly posted station in the region with Ghana Post.
“This regrettably could possibly lead to my request to terminate my contract with the club for obvious reasons. My assistant has been directed to hold the fort for the said period. Thanks.”
Some officials of the club have sought to rely on the text message to explain their sudden action, although the message was sent long ago.
Last Saturday, angry fans of the club thronged the club’s secretariat in Accra, demanding that he was immediately reinstated, and promised to fight his dismissal.
Futah, leader of the Chapter O musical unit of the club, has appealed to the board to forgive them for their earlier comments and behaviour and reconsider their position on the coach.
He said the coach had performed creditably this season and did not warrant a dismissal, and appealed to the board to temper justice with mercy and reinstate the coach.
