Emmanuel Amuneke (middle); om Sanders and another official during the parley.
By Johnkennedy Uzoma,
Owerri
Heartland Football Club (FC) of Owerri is set to partner with a Dutch consultant, Tom Sanders, to be more competitive in football business.
The move would improve and strengthen both the technical and commercial aspect of the club .
Briefing the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Imo State chapter, in Owerri, the Heartland FC’s Technical Manager, Emmanuel Amuneke, hailed the partnership, describing it as an opportunity to reposition the club for growth and global relevance.
He explained that the collaboration aligns with his long-standing vision of restoring Heartland to its rightful place among Africa’s top football institutions.
He said: “Tom Sanders has a wealth of experience, and I consider it very important for a club like Heartland to grow.”
Amuneke said that the objective was to move to the next level giving the young players the club has.
He assured to market the club to the standards it deserves, adding that Heartland is not a small club.
His words: “This is a team that played in the 2009 CAF Champions League. It should be competing with clubs like Al Ahly and Zamalek. Even though we’ve faced internal challenges, many of them are being gradually resolved.”
In his speech, the Dutch Consultant and FIFA Licensed Agent, Tom Sanders, expressed optimism after observing the team’s training session.
Also read: Imo governor, Uzodimma, unveils Amuneke as Heartland FC manager, sets target
He said that Heartland possesses a strong pool of young and gifted players capable of developing into top-quality professionals with the right guidance and patience.
He said: “Everyone knows that Heartland should be on the top level in Nigeria. I think that’s very important, and we will work on that; we will see in the next couple of days because I just arrived”.
He declared that his first impression when he arrived Owerri to see the team was a lot of talented players.
“I think to be a little patient is necessary but they have quality, and Emmanuel (Amuneke) will work with them everyday and I see a lot of young players that’s the way it can work. I really believe that it can work with his philosophy,” he said.
Also, the Chairman of the Imo State Football Association, Mr. Ifeanyi Dike, described the development as a timely and progressive move.
He likened the initiative to historic collaborations between African and European clubs that produced notable success stories, such as Ajax Cape Town and Ajax Amsterdam, as well as ASEC Mimosas and Arsenal FC.
He said: “We are beginning to do the right thing.
“This is a step in the right direction”.
He said that the statement of Tom reminded him of the kind of alignments that previously existed between African and European teams, partnerships that yielded great results and profits.
He said: “For him to commit to creating cooperation between Heartland and clubs in Europe and even the United States shows that we are here for serious business.”
He expressed optimism that the collaboration will enable the club chart a fresh path for players’ exposure, technical advancement, and organizational rebuilding, one that could ultimately restore the club’s legacy and place it back on the continental stage.
………..
For more interesting stories, click: nigerianewsflight.com.ng
