The Chairman of Imo State Football Association, Mazi Amanze Uchegbulam has lauded former Super Eagles winger and U-17 and U-20 gaffer, Emmanuel AmunIke for his give back initiative to the state.
Uchegbulam made the disclosure during the flag off of a coaching training programme in partnership with Amuneke in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
According to him, the former international player partnered the state FA to boost football game and practice saying he had shown patriotism and should be emulated.
He stated that Amuneke offered to train football coaches in the state at no cost to the state and expressed gratitude for the gesture.
The CAF/ FIFA Club Licensing Instructor maintained that Amuneke during his time as the Coach of the Nigeria Under 17 team distinguished himself and won the youth world cup, saying the former player made Imo proud.
Sports Commissioner for Imo State, Chief Dan Ogu described Amuneke as a good Ambassador of the state and country for thinking home to train coaches.
He expressed appreciation on behalf of Governor Hope Uzodimma and the people of the state.
Ogu charged the trainee coaches to assimilate the lessons and improve their performance in their different teams even as he called on them to replicate the gesture in their different communities.
Responding, Amuneke thanked the FA chairman for accepting the partnership and declared his readiness to support the leather game in the state and country.
He charged the coaches to move beyond giving orders to building bonds to support players adding that coaches are instrumental to the success of any player.
The training involved both theoretical and practical sessions as Amuneke showed the coaches different tactics on the pitch.
The Coaching clinic for Imo state based coaches was handled by former Barcelona FC striker & Atlanta 1996 Football Olympic Gold winning Dream Team member, Emmanuel Amunike “MON”.
The clinic resource person also named 1994 African Player of Year by CAF, won the 2013 and 2015 FIFA U-17 World in UAE and Chile as assistant coach and chief coach respectively.
In his active days, he played for the now defunct Julius Berger FC of Lagos before moving to Zamalek FC and then to Sporting Lisbon underCiach Bobby Robson who later took him to Barcelona were he excelled alongside the likes of Perp Guardiola, Luis Enrike among many others.
He hails from Eziobodo in Owerri West LGA and is married to a Spanish Lady (City of Satander).
