The ceremony held on Monday evening at the Imo State Government House saw him presented by governor Hope Uzodinma.
“I am thrilled to announce that our brother, Emmanuel Amuneke, the celebrated international football legend from Imo State, has been appointed as the Head Coach of Heartland Football Club,” said Uzodinma.
“Amuneke’s remarkable career has made us incredibly proud, and his return to our State in this new role brings a wave of optimism.
“Heartland FC have faced series of challenges in recent seasons, but this appointment marks a renewed commitment to revitalize the club.
“With Amuneke’s wealth of experience and indigeneship to the State, I am confident that this will be a turning point for Heartland FC, guiding them back to their winning ways and reigniting our collective passion for the team.”
The former African Player of the Year returns to management after a two-year hiatus, with his last role as Nigeria's national team assistant coach, where his crew failed to qualify the Super Eagles for the 2022 World Cup.
Amuneke is expected to revive the fortunes of the Naze Millionaires following their demotion from the Nigeria Professional Football League during the 2023-24 campaign. Prior to his appointment, the former Barcelona star had been involved in the club’s recruitment process.
After an illustrious career that saw him win the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations and the 1996 Olympic Gold medal with Nigeria as well as getting crowned as Africa’s best, the footballer went into coaching.
First, he worked as an assistant manager at Saudi Arabian side Al Hazm before leading Nigeria to U17 World Cup glory in Chile in 2015 before taking charge of Al Khartoum after a failed expedition as Nigeria's U20 boss.
He was named the Tanzania senior national team coach after a season in Sudan. There, he helped the East African country qualify for their first AFCON in 2019. He was sacked by the Tanzania Football Federation after a poor showing in Egypt.
Amuneke has also had short stints with Egyptian side Misr El-Makkasa and Zambian side Zanaco.
