Heartland FC unveils Emmanuel Amunike as head coach

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Relegated Heartland FC has unveiled former Nigeria U-17 national Ram coach Emanuel Amunike as the team’s new Head Coach.

The former FC Barcelona player was unveiled by the Executive Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma in Owerri on Monday.

After an illustrious career as a player with the Nigeria senior national team, including winning a gold medal at the Atalanta Olympics in 1996, Amunike took to coaching.

He has managed clubs in Sudan, Tanzania, and Zambia after winning the FIFA U-17 World Cup with the Golden Eaglets.

He last worked as a Consultant to Zambia Club, Zanaco, before joining the consortium of Nigerian coaches that guided the team during the final phase of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Ghana.

Defunct Ocean Boys FC and Julius Berger FC were the clubs he managed in the Nigerian league.

Amunike was tipped to take over as Super Eagles coach after the expiration of Jose Peseiro’a’s contract at the end of the last Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) before the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) appointed Finidi George.

Heartland FC was relegated from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) at the end of the 2023/2024 season after a season in the top flight.

There had been rumours that the team might acquire the slot of the newly promoted Beyond Limits Football Academy if both clubs agreed on terms.