Former Barcelona winger vows to return Heartland to glory days

Former Barcelona and Super Eagles winger, Emmanuel Amuneke, has vowed to return NNL side, Heartland Owerri to their glory days, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 53-year-old has had brief managerial stints with the Tanzanian National team, Al-Khartoum, and the Nigeria U-17 team, and was rumoured to be a leading candidate for the Super Eagles role before the NFF appointed Finidi George.

As earlier reported by Soccernet.ng, the former Sporting Lisbon winger signed as a coach for NNL side, Heartland Owerri FC, following their relegation from the Nigerian Professional Football League last season. Speaking during his unveiling, Amuneke vowed to return the five-time NPFL champions to their glory days.

“I am someone with an 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. Rest assured, we will make sure that with your support we will take Heartland FC back to where it used to be,” the 1994 AFCON winner said in quotes revealed on the club’s social media page.

Emmanuel Amuneke led the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria to a FIFA U-17 World Cup triumph in 2015. The team featured now-Super Eagles stars, Samuel Chukwueze and Victor Osimhen.