Heartland FC coach, Emmanuel Amuneke has revealed that he is not ready to quit the job despite the club’s poor form in the Nigeria Professional Football League.
Amuneke took over at the beginning of the season, and he has enjoyed a topsy-turvy time at the Dan Anyam stadium.
In the first half of the season, He led the team to five wins, seven draws and seven defeats, and the club went on a five-game winless streak towards the end of the first stanza.
Heartland started the second stanza with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Lobi Stars on Sunday to end their poor run of form.
The game was an opportunity for him to meet his former Super Eagles teammate, Daniel Amokachi, who is in charge of Lobi Stars.
The former Tanzania manager has reiterated again that he is not ready to resign from the job, while also encouraging Amokachi to keep fighting for the job.
Amokachi’s Lobi Stars have endured a poor season, sitting precariously in the 18th position with 20 points from 20 games.
Amuneke said: “I’m someone who doesn’t believe in quitting. That’s my mentality because I understand that the journey of life is a process. There will be moments of difficulty and success, but how you manage both is critical to moving forward.
“Quitting isn’t the best option. Whether winning or not, we can see Dan’s experience and what he’s bringing to the team. He’s building a strong side at Lobi Stars, and we should recognise and acknowledge his efforts.
“Dan (Amokachi), if we’re in a country where we don’t value our stars—ex-players who have done so much for the country—I think it’s very unfortunate,” said the former FC Barcelona winger.
“So, if Dan (Amokachi) left all that he was doing to come here and coach Lobi Stars, I believe he deserves respect. The club management needs to support him. Of course, I encouraged him not to quit but to stay.
Amuneke also opened up on why he brought in experienced players to beef up the team in the January transfer window after using mostly academy players in the first stanza.
He said: “This isn’t a deviation from my youth-focused policy. It’s about ensuring balance in the squad.
“In Nigeria, we don’t have sustainable plans for youth development. We raised players like Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, and Wilfred Ndidi in 2015 and 2013, but these players are ageing now.
“So, who can we boast of for the future? When I arrived here at Heartland, I understood the club’s situation and the need for a different direction. People may expect immediate results, but we must focus on building stability, which includes encouraging young players.
“Some adapt quicker than others, but in one or two years, these young players will develop into big names.”
The victory over Lobi Stars moved Heartland up to 11th on the Nigeria Professional Football League table with 25 points from 20 games.
The Naze Millionaires will return to action in the NPFL against Enyimba on Thursday in Aba.
Lobi Stars will be hoping to find some joy when they travel to Uyo to take on Akwa United on Wednesday.
