From Spain to Owerri: Emmanuel Amunike Shares Reasons for Taking Heartland FC Job
Former Nigerian international Emmanuel Amunike returns to Heartland FC as head coach, aiming to restore the club's former glory. In an exclusive interview, Amunike shares his motivations for leaving Spain and his plans to revive the struggling Nigerian football team.
Image Credits: Alex Caparros - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
In a bid to revive the fortunes of Heartland FC, former Nigerian international Emmanuel Amunike has returned to his home club, Heartland FC as the head coach.
The move was a surprised from the former Nigeria player came unexpectedly, despite having received lucrative offers from abroad and being based in Spain with his family.
This unexpected choice has raised eyebrows, given the attractive alternatives available to him.
Although, born and brought in Imo state, this was more likely a payback to his root for Amunike.
Amunike, just like other ex-international who decided to leave the shores of foreign lands to take up management positions, told SportsBoom.com in an exclusive interview the reason for his homecoming was determined to restore its pride of place in Nigerian football.
The 1994 African footballer of the year added that his appointment was to salvage the existing problems like relegation battles that has tarnished the image of his home club.
I want to contribute my quota to make sure that Heartland regains its pride of place in Nigerian football. A lot of things have happened to the club in recent times. The team is always going on relegation and other things that are not good to the Image of the team.
Emmanuel Amunike
Heartland Falling from Grace to Grass
Heartland of Owerri, one of the biggest clubs in the southeastern part of Nigeria has faced big retrogression in the last one decade. With the club representing Nigeria on the continent and amassing about five league titles have now become a team struggling in the relegation waters.
However, the era of struggle at Heartland FC is poised to come to an end, thanks to a clear mandate from the state Governor, Mr. Hope Uzodinma to transform the team.
With this backing, Coach Emmanuel Amunike has set his sights on a bold new era, aiming to establish the club as a formidable force in Nigerian football, capable of challenging for top honors alongside established powerhouses like Rangers and Enyimba.
“The Governor did not mince words on the day of my inauguration. He clearly stated that he wants me to take the club to what it used to be. So l came back to help in making sure the team challenges for titles like Rangers, Enyimba and other big clubs.”
Proper Recruitment and Structure
The Naze Millionaires as Heartland are fondly called have proved otherwise of their name as the club babe struggled in recent years to compete in the top-flight league. In the last five seasons, the club has been relegated twice courtesy of poor management and inadequate recruiting.
To achieve this, Amunike added that he has overseen a massive overhaul of the squad, bringing in 30 new players, mostly young and exciting talents eager to learn and make a mark.
“We needed to start from scratch. We looked at the old players and retained a few of them.
We got new players that we believe will give us what we want
The new players are young, exciting, and ready to go. They are also teachable and ready to learn.”
He added that he’s undaunted by the prospect of relegation, confident that his young team will gain valuable experience and ruffle feathers as the season progresses.
Other Issues
Off the pitch, he has also prioritised the maintenance of the Dan Anyiam Stadium, ensuring the grass pitch is meticulously cared for to become one of the best in the country.
Heartland last season couldn't play their home games at the Dan Anyiam stadium in Owerri because it wasn't certified for a league games. This then sent the club to Awka which was adopted as their home ground.
Amunike reiterated that the club management will ensure proper maintenance measures are done to see the stadium fit for league games.
The coach has also told SportsBoom that he has engaged with the supporters' club, educating them on their crucial role in achieving the team's goals.
Heartland plays Rivers United on Sunday in PortHarcourt where two former Nigerian players Amunike and Finidi George both who were the 1994 AFCON winning set will get to meet on the touchline.
With Amunike at the helm, Heartland FC is poised for a resurgence, driven by his passion, expertise, and commitment to restoring the club's former glory.
Jeremiah Omoniyi is a developmental sports Journalist with over five years of experience writing about grassroots and international football and sporting events. Jeremiah’s forte in sports journalism are feature writing and interviews which he has done to a reasonable amount within his home country, Nigeria.