Heartland FC General manager Mr Chukwudi Ifeanyi says his decision to ignore the barrage of criticisms after teams frequent late minutes loss in some of its matches both at home and way this season was to turn those criticisms into positive advantage moving forward.
Addressing Lagos Fans who turned out in their numbers to cheer the team up after Heartland’s first away win against Mountain of Fire & Miracle Ministry MFM FC at the Agege stadium Lagos, said the team is gradually picking up by mending gray areas seen in its playing pattern to get it right despite obvious distractions.
Mr Ifeanyi noted that time has come for all football stakeholders in the state to support the team instead of the constant criticisms, adding that he is not against constructive criticisms because it has given him the opportunity to look inward and know where the problems of the team are and has taken advantage of it to get the desired result.
The Naze Millionaires GM commended Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu the working one for accepting to embrace those decisions collectively taken the reason the team didn’t fail the fifth time late in the game in Lagos and urged him to sustain the spirit.
Heartland FC had in some of its matches this season dropped points after taking the lead towards the tale end of the games, such as Katsina where they scored in the first minute of the match only to lose it less than ten minutes to regulation time, the same scene which played out in Kaduna against Jigawa Golden Star, also allowed Rivers Utd to take 2 quick goals in Port Harcourt after restoring parity about 78 minutes into the game as.
They equally threw away 2 points against Ifeanyi Ubah in Owerri few minutes to full time.
The GM used the opportunity to commend the state Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma for accepting to clear the fee for the FIFA ban which had stopped the club from playing some of their newly recruited players and assured that with the development, Heartland would be beefed up immediately the ban is lifted.
Heartland FC picked up their first win of the season away from home against MFM FC at the Agege Township Stadium, on matchday 9 of the Nigeria Professional Football League.
Goals from Adachi Emmanuel and Jimoh Gbadamosi either half ensured that Fidelis Ilechukwu soared high with a 2-1 victory against Olukoya Boys whom he tutored for 13 years before he pitched tent with the Naze Millionaires last season.
The Scientific Boys were pecked back In the 50th minute by the Olukoya’s Muyiwa Balogun but that goal was shortlived as Midfielder Jimoh Gbadamosi restored Heartland’s lead in the 55th minute with his first goal of the season.
Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu after the game said “I am not happy with the quality of the game but the most important thing is the three points because we need to fight and come out of relegation so I give it to my boys, but MFM had a fantastic game too.
” I told my players that if they lose this game or we don’t pick up a point, I will demote four players.
“For some games now, we have been taking the lead and losing in the dying minutes of the games which I consider is a sign of unseriousness on their job. I told them that they’re playing against a good side and thank God that at the end, we won the game.
“They won last season in my home so it’a revenge for me. They won last season but now I beat them. So to me, it’s 1 – 1. The Yahweh is my Yahweh too,” he concluded.
Ilechukwu who made four changes to his starting eleven that drew at home to FC Ifeanyi Ubah will hope to consolidate on their victory when they square up on Sunday 14th February against Lobi Stars of Makurdi at the Dan Anyiam Stadium.
