Tag: Heartland

Table topping Heartland have threatened legal action if the NFF arbitration’s directive that gave provisional clearance to Osas Okoro and Orji Kalu Okagbue to feature for Rangers was not reversed.

AfricanFootball.com was reliably informed that the Owerri side were miffed to learn that the players were allowed to feature for Rangers in their 1-0 home loss to Giwa F.C without proper clearance from them since the players still had contracts with them.

According to the media officer of ‘The Naze Millionaires’, Cajetan Nkwopara, “Rangers wrote us (Heartland) asking for the services of Osas Okoro and Orji Kalu Okagbue and we replied them under two days asking for a transfer fee of eight million naira on each player (N16 million for the two players). That was over a month ago and till now Rangers have not contacted us again.

“We, however, got a rumour on Friday (two days ago) that the arbitration panel gave the two players provisional clearance to play for Rangers and we immediately wrote to the LMC and copied the NFF same Friday.

“We protesting such a clearance that did not take into consideration our contract with the players and the documents we had submitted earlier to the LMC to the fact that we were not owing the players salaries up to the day they absconded from our camp and were lured to Enugu.

“Heartland are willing to take all legal action should the players feature for any team without proper clearance from us since they are our bonafide players.”

Imo State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Comrade Kenneth Emelu has reiterated Heartland FC’s desire to win the league shield for the first time in 22 years at the end of 2014/2015 premier league season.

Heartland defeated Kwara United FC 3-1 at the Kwara State Sports Complex, Ilorin yesterday to race to the top of the league table after only three games.

The Harmony Warriors scored the first goal through Ahmed Jimoh but the Naze Millionaires replied their hosts gesture with three goals through Mohammed Mohammed, Jimoh Oni and Bright Ejike.

Speaking with SportingLife on telephone shortly after the match, Emelu boasted that Heartland would end up as the league champions at the end of the season as league crown remains the only domestic title he is

yet to win since he became the state commissioner some years back.

He said Heartland won’t relent in their bid to end the season on a high and he has charged the players to take their next game with Abia Warriors seriously to consolidate on their stronghold on the league

“I promised everyone at the beginning of the season that Heartland will win the league with two away wins out of three matches I can boldly say that we have started well. We shall continue to do our best

to ensure that the players do not get complacent.

“We have another game on Wednesday and I want the players to take the game very serious because we cannot settle for anything more than a win,” Emelu told SportingLife.

The Media Officer of the Scientific Soccer Boys, Cajetan Nkwopara also told SportingLife even though Heartland had the upper hands at the end of the match, Kwara United gave a good account of themselves but were only made to play second fiddle because of the form of the Naze Millionaires.

Heartland striker Jolly Osas has said his side will continue their five-star performance in the Nigerian topflight at Kwara United.

The Naze Millionaires will be guests of the Afonja Warriors in Sunday’s Glo Premier League match day 4 clash at the Kwara State Stadium, llorin.

Osas said his side are undone with their quest to maintain 100 per cent mark in the ongoing league season.

“We’re going to llorin to maintain our 100 per cent record so it’s going to be outright victory at Kwara United. We’re not going to settle for a draw as the target this season is to maintain a clean slate in our matches.

“Kwara United as warriors will come all out at us to chance a win aimed at pleasing their home supporters, but we’re Heartland and will fight them with our hearts.

“We rested during the break as well as trained adequately for the resumption of hostilities and we’re kick-starting our campaign brilliantly from where we stopped,” said the former 3SC marksman to supersport.com.

Heartland have garnered six points in the three-week old Nigerian topflight with a home match against the Nigerian champions, Kano Pillars at hand.

Upcoming midfielder, Joseph Iniobong, has  launched his Heartland career in style after scoring on his home debut in Sunday’s 5-2 annihilation of Nasarawa United.

It is a special feat for the player who was signed after impressing during trials with the Owerri side.

“I had a stint in Benin Republic with Jeunesse Sportive and attended trials at Asante Kotoko before returning to Nigeria. The coaches at Heartland gave a chance after attending open trials earlier in the year,” he told supersport.com.

Iniobong, who has no previous league experience in Nigeria, made his Heartland debut during the road trip win at 3SC, on match day two.

The road trip win was well celebrated, but only a few know Iniobong won the free kick converted by Ebere Odiche for Heartland’s first goal, in Ibadan.

Despite his late introduction against Nasarawa United, the former Benin Republic-based playmaker fired a missile from outside the area to score the last goal on match day.

“I’ve watched matches in the Glo Premier League on television and at the stadium, I’m proud to be a professional with Heartland,” he said to supersport.com.

Heartland head coach Erasmus Onuh-Ollotah has said his side are still a work in progress after the biggest win in the ongoing season.

The Naze Millionaires defeated Nasarawa United 5-2 in Sunday’s Glo Premier League match day 3 clash at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri.

Ebere Odiche opened the flood gate of goals for the Owerri-based outfit in the 21st minute, Fred Okwara doubled the lead in the 39th minute while Leonard Ugochukwu pulled one back for the Solid Miners in the added time of the first half.

Bright Ejike scored from the penalty spot on resumption of play and Musa Mustapha almost immediately pulled one back for his side, but Ejike was at the right place to make it four while Joseph Iniobong completed the goal feast for Heartland.

Onuh-Ollotah said though he was impressed with the outcome of the encounter his wards are yet to reach the landmark.

“Definitely, one must be happy with this kind of result but we’ve not reached the mark I set for the team. I corrected some mistakes in the away win at 3SC last week and today (Sunday) I’ve discovered some mistakes.

“It’s not yet a perfect team, I still have to head back to work immediately to find solutions for our mistakes before the next match at Kwara United. We’ve not got it perfectly right yet, the team is still a work in progress, I give the side an above average mark for the performance in today’s game.

“Nasarawa United were simply fantastic and wonderful, just unfortunate they eventually lost the game.

“I won’t say the better side won the encounter but that the will of God prevailed,” said the former Sunshine Stars coach to supersport.com.

The victory has upped Heartland’s total earnings to six points from possible nine with a game at hand against Kano Pillars.