The man in the spotlight is Hearts interim coach Eddie Ansah.

He's been chucked at the deep end, taking over from Herbert Addo after 21 league games. And when he did, the Phobians were 12th.  

Since then?

Dwarfs beat Hearts 2-1.

Aduana beat Hearts 1-0.

Hearts beat Lions 4-0.

Edubiase beat Hearts 2-1.

Kotoko beat Hearts 2-1.

Now the Accra giants are 15th with five games to go, but he's still bullish.

"At the moment I am in control. I believe I have what it takes to pull Hearts of Oak out of this mess,” Ansah says.

Tough words, but the reality is that the fixtures - starting with an away game at Liberty on Wednesday, will be extremely tight. Forget that he isn't the reason for Hearts relegation, should it happen.

Fact is Eddie will be forever remembered that in 57 years of top flight football - and almsot 105 years of history - it was he who failed to get them relegated, regardless of the prevailing factors. 

His response?

"We have only lost the battle but not the war. We have five matches to go and we will give our all. A coach is judged by the performance of his team. I believe we will come out of this situation."

The former Black Stars goalkeepers' trainer gets an unlikely supporter in David Duncan, who led Kotoko to beat the Phobians only last Sunday.

Duncan has backed Ansah to save the Phobians from relegation, despite the lowly 29 points the team has managed. "Hearts of Oak is a big team and I am confident that they will be able to find a solution to their situation. My good friend Eddie Ansah is more than capable to keep the team up."

But not everyone is so sure, and those who aren't cite the relative inexperience of Ansah in leading whole teams. 

Aziz Haruna Futah, a former management member of the club, has led the crusade trumpeting the coach's unsuitability for the job. On Asempa FM on Monday, the vocal supporter did not mince words.

"The team sacked Herbert and should have brought in the the coach of [Hearts youth team] Auroras and not Eddie Ansah. Eddie is not the man for this kind of task, and we are seeing it."

The evidence, so far, suggests Aziz may have a point.

Since taking over from Herbert Addo, Eddie have since played four matches in the league, winning just one (4-0 v Heart of Lions) and losing three.

Despite that damning stat, the man says his competence should not be in question.

"I have played football. I have spent years in coaching. I am a CAF license 'A' coach. You all know me as a goalkeeper but l am a professional coach, worked under many high profile coaches and have learnt a lot from them so l believe in my capabilities."

His capabilities may also not be enough because the fact is that if even Hearts should win all their five remaining games, they may need results elsewhere to go in their favour to survive the drop.

Over to you, Eddie.

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CLICK TO READ: How Hearts will survive relegation

CLICK TO READ: Analysis - Ansah praises team, confident of survival

CLICK TO READ: How Duncan outsmarted Hearts

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