Hearts of Oak head coach, Aboubakar Ouattara, has made it very clear that he will not accept insults from journalists, saying he is “not Jesus Christ” to simply forgive and forget.
Ouattara, who is known for his fiery exchanges with the media, has had several tense moments with journalists during his pre- and post-match interviews in the Ghana Premier League.
His latest comments came after Hearts’ recent win over Medeama, where he questioned why some journalists criticise him so harshly.
Speaking to Accra-based Hot FM, the coach warned that any journalist who insults or attacks him, whether on the radio or face-to-face, should expect him to reply sharply.
If you [a journalist] come before me with the same attitude you used to insult me on radio, I will respond accordingly. You came here with a personal opinion about me, not about the match. Nobody feeds anyone here, so say whatever you want.
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Ouatarra still welcomes fair criticism
Despite his clashes, Ouattara explained that he still respects journalists who criticise him without being rude or personal.
There are journalists who criticize me for a whole week without insulting me, and when we meet, I still speak with them because I know they’re just doing their job. But if you insult me somewhere and I hear it, or you stand before me and speak out of line, I’m not Jesus Christ, I won’t just let it go. I will respond.
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Ouattara’s strained relationship with the media often overshadows his coaching achievements, making his interviews as much of a talking point as his team’s performances.
