Emmanuel Amuneke linked with coaching return
A report has emerged stating that former Nigeria winger Emmanuel Amuneke is about to make a comeback to coaching after a year-long break.
Amuneke’s last coaching job was with Zambia’s Zanaco FC, where he served as both coach and consultant until 2023. Recently, he applied for the Super Eagles head coach position, but the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) chose Finidi George instead. However, Finidi resigned after Nigeria’s poor performances against South Africa and Benin in June, leaving the position vacant. The NFF now plans to hire a foreign Technical Adviser for the team.
Reports suggest that Amuneke is close to securing a coaching job with Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) club Heartland FC. According to ScoreNigeria, he has already been offered the job and is expected to be officially announced soon. Amuneke has already started recruiting players for the upcoming season while working quietly with his hometown club.
Heartland FC were relegated to the NPFL after finishing 19th in the 20-team league last season. The club is reportedly planning to buy the NPFL slot of Beyond Limits, who earned promotion from the Nigeria National League (NNL) but face participation issues due to their affiliation with Remo Stars.
Amuneke, 53, has extensive coaching experience both domestically and internationally. He previously coached Julius Berger and Ocean Boys in Nigeria before leading the Nigeria U17 team to World Cup victory in 2015. He also managed Tanzania’s national team, leading them to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, and had roles with Egypt’s Misr El Makkasa and as an assistant coach of Nigeria’s national team.
