Emmanuel Amunike Unveiled as Heartland FC Technical Manager

Emmanuel Amunike has been appointed as the new Technical Manager for Heartland FC, an Imo-based club.

The announcement was made at the Government House in Owerri by the State Governor, who emphasized the state’s efforts to elevate Heartland FC back to the top tier after their 19th-place finish in the 2023-24 season.

The Governor noted that the state had recently bought a promotion slot from Beyond Limit FC, which also owns Remo Stars, to ensure Heartland’s participation in the NPFL this season. In his address, Governor Uzodinma highlighted the need to reorganize and strengthen the club’s management to improve its performance, revealing that Emmanuel Amunike, a former Tanzanian national team coach, was selected for the role.

“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.

“But recently, we noticed that Heartland FC is going down the drain so we decided to satisfy the yearnings of our people and improve and stimulate the enthusiasm that usually greets the successes of Heartland FC by way of reorganising the administrative structure and also strengthen the manpower and the management strength of the club. In that bid we have identified one of our best who played and a former head coach of Tanzanian national team who is resident in Spain. 

“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.”

Amunike will report directly to the Governor to streamline operations and avoid bureaucratic delays. The Governor expressed confidence that Amunike, despite being an expensive choice, would help Heartland FC regain its former prominence.

“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. He reports directly to me. As part of our findings, we noticed that unnecessary bureaucracy nearly sabotaged the club’s operational targets and so for access to information and approvals, the new Technical Manager will report to the Governor directly and I will be available whether virtually or physically.”

Amunike committed to working diligently to restore the club’s status and called for the support of the State Government to achieve these goals. He reassured the Governor of his dedication, recalling his successful tenure with the Tanzanian national team and promising similar success for Heartland FC.

“Your Excellency I am promising you on behalf of myself and the entire Heartland FC that we are going to do our best to ensure Heartland FC returns to its former enviable position.”

“I am a someone with objective and I do not involve myself in something that I am not capable of doing. I remember when I was unveiled as the coach of Tanzania one of the things I told them was that we would qualify for AFCON 2019 but everybody thought it was a joke but eventually we were able to qualify them for the AFCON for the first time after 39 years. 

“Please, be rest assured that we will make sure that with your support we will take Heartland FC back to where it used to be.”

Previously, Amunike was a candidate for the Super Eagles coaching position before Finidi George was appointed as the successor to Jose Peseiro.