A possible scramble for the top post of Accra Hearts of Oak is in the offing following the resignation of Mr Harry Zakkour as the club’s Chief Executive. Zakkour stepped down last Tuesday after the club’s Board of Directors resolved that Hearts needed full-time administrators to steer it along professional lines.

And since his private business interests would not allow him to channel all his energies into Hearts, the self-proclaimed ‘Millennium Chairman’ voluntarily stepped down after four years in charge.

Even before tendering his resignation, two of the club’s young officials, Messrs Kojo Twum-Boafo and Neil Armstrong, had hinted of their intentions to occupy the hot seat. Under the Zakkour-led management, Hearts established a dynasty in the domestic league with four consecutive victories, capping their success story with two major continental titles – the 2000 CAF Champions League and African Super Cup.

Hearts Board Chairman, Mr Ato Ahwoi, emphasised in an interview that with Graphic Sports that “Zakkour was not forced out” but resigned on his own accord. Ahwoi explained that Hearts’ new policy direction is aimed at changing the old order where club officials offered their service voluntarily and on part-time basis.

This, he believes, limited Hearts’ ability to reap full benefits of its success on the field. “We have to start looking ahead. It’s time to run Hearts of Oak as a business entity,” Ahwoi declared. This new direction would also culminate in the employment of a full time administrator and accountant, among others, for the club.

Last year Hearts purchased a multi-million cedi secretariat at Adabraka (Accra), from where the new administrators would operate. Hearts Deputy Chief Executive, Mr Thomas Okine, now takes control of the day-to-day activities of the club until a substantive Chief Executive is appointed.

However, prospective chief executive would have to go through a rigourous screening process at the Public Service Commission, which conducted a similar exercise during the search for a new GFA General Secretary.

The Hearts Board Chairman hinted that the Directors are in the process of drawing up the job functions of the next Chief Executive, after which the position would be advertised. However, the prospective chief executives would have to go through a rigorous screening process at the Public Services Commission, which conducted a similar exercise during the search for a new GFA General Secretary.

The next Chief Executive would have to take on additional responsibilities for arranging matches, austere financial control and other important duties. “A club rated 83rd in the world should be run properly; we’ve experimented for far too long. We must be the pace-setters in professionalism.”

In the last few months supporters of Hearts have agitated for a more professional style administration to move the club forward, and the new directive by the Board is a response to this call.