From Everest Ezihe, Owerri
As part of her strategic efforts to reposition Heartland Football Club of, Owerri for the forthcoming Nigeria Premier League, Imo state government, under the leadership of Governor Hope Uzodinma has unveiled an international indigenous coach and former CAF Player of the Year, Emmanuel Amuneke as the Technical Adviser of the Owerri darling club.
In a short ceremony held at the Government House, Owerri on Monday in the presence of the Imo State expanded Executive Council, the Governor expressed his dissatisfaction with the Naze Millionaires successive relegation from the topflight.
Uzodimma informed that it was the reason his Shared Prosperity administration went out of its ways to get a coach who hails from the State but has achieved greatness with the Tanzanian senior national team, Zanaco FC (Zambia), Emmanuel Amuneke, to come and rescue the team.
“We are gathered here this afternoon in our effort to reposition Heartland FC for a brighter future. The events of the past showed that we came here in 2020 we met Heartland FC relegated from the NPFL. We did our best, gave them the support and motivated the team and we were able to get out of the relegation,” Governor Uzodinma began.
“We beamed our searchlight and we were able to locate Emmanuel Amuneke. He is an expensive coach but we struggled to plead and combining patriotism and love of state he agreed to take what we were able to afford. Heartland is a club everyone in the state is passionate about and a club we are all committed towards.”
The Governor charged the new leadership of Heartland FC to work towards winning the league title and returning the team back to the continent just like it was when the team was still Spartans and then Iwuanyanwu Nationale which was synonymous then with titles.
He also disclosed that the new Heartland FC Technical Manager will report directly to him to ensure that the club’s operational activities goes on smoothly and devoid of unnecessary bureaucratic bottleneck.
“We want to present to our people the new Technical Manager, Heartland FC and as a way to halt unnecessary bureaucratic bottleneck, I have decided for the coach to report directly to the Governor straight”, Uzodinma declared.
In his response, the 1994 CAF Player of the Year, Amuneke assured Governor Uzodinma that he would work towards ensuring that Heartland FC regains its enviable heights and he called for the support of the State Government for him and the team to achieve set objectives.
