‘Heartland will survive NPFL relegation’
Erasmus Onuh has stressed that Heartland FC has improved tactically in its fight for survival in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
Onuh, head coach of Heartland, revealed that the recent changes made to the team which has earned them a win against Plateau United followed by a draw against Wikki Tourist in Kaduna were not targeted at any player.
Heartland, 17th in the NPFL table with 25 points from 25 games, hosts Abia Warriors this weekend, Saturday, to sustain the recent thrust in the team’s performances to avoid relegation.
The Owerri-based side is a point above the red zone that engulfs Kano Pillars, which were slammed with sanctions over their misconduct against Katsina United at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Katsina United, and MFM The Trumpet gathered.
Onuh averred that the team must change their mindset if they must beat the relegation zone and advised the players to act like soldiers on the pitch.
“My team has improved tremendously, there is a big improvement from the way we used to play, that is why I didn’t make many changes. The few changes I made were not because someone was not doing well, but for tactical reasons, He told NPFL media.
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“We will escape relegation. We are on course. It is a work in progress and we will see what we can do as the season progresses. It is a difficult job to do, but we will do it. The people who gave me the job trusted me and I want to do my best not to betray that trust.
“There is a new mindset in our team, the game plan from me is that the team should possess the ball and get ready to die, we should play like soldiers, defend the team with our body, mind, everything. We want to leave that place (relegation zone) and we would do that by going for victory in our next match against Abia Warriors,” Onuh added.
Heartland rocking the 17th spot on the league table is however short-lived as it has played more games than the 18-spot Katsina United with a point difference and 19-spot Kano Pillars with two points difference.
