‘Onu’s suspension responsible for Heartland’s poor run’

Some fans of Heartland FC of Owerri yesterday called for immediate recall of the team’s suspended Technical Adviser and Head Coach, Erasmus Onu, blaming the club’s recent poor performance in the Glo Premier League on the suspension of Onu.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Heartland lost 0-2 away to Nasarawa United. The team had previously lost 1-2 to Kano Pillars and away and also lost 1-3 to Shooting Stars at home and drawn 0-0 with Wiki Tourist in Bauchi With the results, the team have cumulatively lost 11 points in four matches played so far in the second stanza of the ongoing league.

Charles Madu, an Owerri-based businessman, said the poor performance could be attributed to hasty decision to suspend Onu by the club’s management.

Madu noted that there was no way any replacement of the coach would impact positively on the fortunes of the club fortune within a short time. He, however, advised that the coach be recalled to take over the headship of the technical crew.

Another fan, Jude Chigozie, an engineer, said the problem of the club could be attributed to poor management of the team. He said the players could have been demoralised, following the suspension of their coach.

Chigozie added that another factor militating against the effort of the players could have been that the team played some of its home matches outside their home ground in Owerri.

The team had played most of their matches in first stanza at Oba, Anambra State. They were banished by the League Management Company (LMC) because of to the dilapidated state of pitch of the Dan Anyiam Stadium.

The LMC had only recently lifted the ban on the stadium. According to the club management, Heartland are expected to play their next home match at the Dan Anyiam Stadium.

Another fan of the club, Okechukwu Anyanwu, a Civil Servant, advocated total restructuring of the technical crew. He said: “The management can only get it right if all members of the technical crew are sacked and more experienced people are employed.’’

Meanwhile, the Media Officer of the club, Cajetan Nkwopara has denied that the success or failure of the club depended on the suspension of Onu. “The suspended coach did not establish any historic legacy before he left the club that could make anybody to think that his suspension has adversely affecting the club,’’ he said.

Nkwopara added that it was too early for fans to judge the club’s performance over the removal of the coach. He promised that the club would soon bounce back to its rightful place in the league table.