Abdul Karim Zito will not sit in the dugout anymore as coach of Accra Hearts of Oak after seven games in charge.

The former Asante Kotoko coach has become the premiership’s first coaching casualty following the termination of his appointment on Monday by the Phobians.

Coach of the club’s junior team, Sampson Lamptey, has been put in charge of the team in a temporal capacity as the management go in search for a substantive manager.

A club statement signed by the head of the Interim Management Committee, Harry Zakkour, also apologised to the supporters and well wishers of the club for their poor run in the Onetouch Premier League.

“The uncharacteristic poor performance of the Club, which can be attributed to, among other factors, the poor recruitment done this year and improper technical direction.”

Karim Zito joined the Phobians during the preseason in the wake of the club’s decision to part ways with Bulgarian coach, Mitko Kostadinov Dobrez, who had won the league title last season.

After a string of poor performances and results, the club’s board ringed some changes which saw the Stephen Akwetey-led Interim Management Committee (IMC) replaced in the process though there were calls from the club’s supporters for a change in technical personnel.

However, Zito and his backroom staff survived the change at the time but Sunday’s 1-1 drawn game at home with Tema Youth forced the Harry Zakkour-led team to drop the axe on the coach.

Hearts lie 10th on the standings having collected 8 points from a maximum of 21 after seven matches.