NPFL : Lobi Stars is highly tactical, says Amunike
From Everest Ezihe, Owerri
Despite Heartland Football Club of Owerri last Sunday collecting the three maximum points at stake from visiting Lobi Stars FC, Makurdi, Coach
Emmanuel Amunike has described the Daniel Amokachi (The Bull) led team as highly tactical, with futuristic steam.
Amunike who’s the Technical Adviser to the Eastern Heartland team said this during the post match media interaction for the week 19 Nigeria Premier league encounter at Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri as his team walloped Amokachi led team 1-0, courtesy of 57th minutes within 18 yard box header by the newly discovered John Bassey.
He pointed out that every coach is always optimistic and committed towards winning their matches but unfortunately most often it doesn’t work out in that way reiterating that both teams exhibited strength and skills.
The Ex. International expressed gratitude to Coach Daniel Amokachi the Technical Adviser of Lobi Stars FC, Makurdi noting that both doffed their life for Nigeria and today both are contributing towards the upliftment of football in Nigeria.
” I feel highly excited seeing Amokachi again after so many years, even though I saw him last year in Lafia as my club played with his team. It’s a good thing. It’s always our wish to win our games but we all know that in football, it’s not always like that. Lobi Stars is a very high tactical team, we played them in Lafia, we knew their strengths and potentials as they exhibited today.
“A game like this, you don’t need to win overwhelming, you just need a goal and then consolidate in defending the goal, all we did today is take our chances and be in a position to manage the game to our own advantage and then achieve the positive result we are looking for”.
He canvassed on the need for Nigerians to accord respect to those who have contributed immensely towards the advancement of the country, most especially in sports like football using Amokachi as an example; saying the management of Lobi Stars owe him respect and total support in executing his job despite the challenges facing the club.
Amunike further said that, “I don’t believe in quitting because the journey of life is a process, there will be moments of difficulties and there will be moments of happiness, however how you manage those stages in life is what makes you who you are.
“Therefore, quitting is not the best option, winning or not winning, Amokachi is an excellent coach. You can see how solid his team is. He’s building a futuristic team. My vision for Heartland could be awkward because in Nigeria, we have no futuristic plans for the youths.
“Am building a team of the future. When I came to Heartland, I have a clear cut vision of what to do and how to do it by taking a different direction of realistically building a football Club of the future. Obviously, people are not used to this, all they want is immediate result.
“If we want Heartland FC to flourish, we need to establish stability and that stability is not only playing on the pitch but the need to encourage young players.
“It’s gospel truth that every individual is totally different in terms of adaptation, people adapt differently, obviously the young players we groomed will definitely blossom into big time players in the next two or three years” he noted.
Amunike also advocated on the need to create standard by enhancing the nation’s football and jettisoning brain drain in terms of exporting the nation’s best footballers, coaches and officials.
He further expressed gratitude that the players are growing and adapting to his tactical but futuristic trainings.
