Heartland FC’s poor results: Fans query N45m players’ recruitment by Ezekwem board - Latest Sports in Nigeria

Heartland FC’s poor results: Fans query N45m players’ recruitment by Ezekwem board

By Our Reporter

As Heartland Football Club continue its battle to recover from wobbly start in the season, occasioned by string of poor results, football lovers across Imo State has called on the state government investigate how the N45million appropriated for the recruitment of players was spent.

The fans who are disappointed with the performance of the club blamed the poor show in the NPFL on the very low quality of players recruited for the season by the immediate past board led by Barrister Charles Ezekwem, who took over the running of the club from the Mr. Ifeanyi Chukwudi-led management.

They called on the State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, to set-up an enquiry to look into the recruitment of the players, some of who were not qualified for listing in a club desirous of winning trophies.

The fans, who spoke to journalist in Owerri, also demanded for the a scrutiny and review of the players’ contract papers to ascertain the real value of the players, and why the salaries of the players were cut after the state government increased the monthly allocation to the club from N18 million to N30 million every month, and the workers sacked without the payment of their three months salary.

“With such huge amount of money Heartland could not recruit quality players. The Ezekwem-led board received N45 million from the government for the recruitment and preparation of the team for the season. Yet some of the players were sacked and their salaries not paid. This is scandalous! The government must investigate the activities of the board.” Said Uchechi Njoku, Heartland FC fan in Owerri.

Nnadi Modestus, another fan of the club, blamed Heartland’s struggle in the league to lack of transparency and low quality set of players, saying the fans and deserve something better this season after the heartache of the previous seasons.
“I think they also ask the government to investigate how the 13 million naira released for the team's two weeks pre-season training camp in Nanka Anambra state was spent under three day, the management got something wrong the unveiling of players and wears which in the past were done in the open, but were performed in secret. They received funds from the government but what they did with the money did not reflect in the results”, he said.