By Daily Sports on December 2, 2016

By Augustine Kalu

Friday Ekpo, former national team and Iwuanyanwu Nationale midfielder, has expressed sadness over the recent relegation of Heartland Football Club of Owerri to the 2nd tier league following their inability to retain their premier league status at the end of the 2015/16 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

The Akwa Ibom State-born former international however, said there was nothing strange in the club’s relegation because in football, if you do not prepare to win, you prepare to lose. He said that all over the world it was a normal occurrence for clubs to be relegated which according to him is a sign that the said club did not do certain things right and that the league is getting tougher by way of other clubs strengthening their squad. Ekpo bared his mind on Heartland’s relegation in an  exclusive telephone interview with Daily Sports during the week.

“I must start by saying that as a former player of Heartland FC, formally Iwuanyanwu National FC, I am pained that Heartland have been relegated to the 2nd tier league in Nigeria. As a matter of fact, it is most unfortunate because it is a sad development,” Ekpo stated.

“I must confess to you that I am shocked to learn that Heartland was relegated at the end of 2015/16 NPFL season. I never saw it coming despite the fact that I knew that things have not been well with the club particularly as it concerns the players’ welfare. However, it has happened. The question now is what next?

“I want to say what has happened to Heartland in the out gone season is normal in football. It is not strange at all. What happened to Heartland at the end of the season is an indication that there are certain things that were not right with the club or team particularly with the players’ and technical crew’s welfare. Certainly all was not well with the club and that resulted in the situation that they found themselves at the moment and they must wake up to the reality.

“Again what happened to Heartland is an indication that clubs in the NPFL are improving by the day and as a result it is no longer business as usual. The league is improving by the day and players and clubs are working harder in order to meet the challenges of the time in NPFL.

“My advice to the club is that they should do everything possible to rectify all the problems that led them to relegation in the first place.

“Even if you take a look at the English Premier League (EPL) you will discover that in the last 7-8 years, top names in the top flight are Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea but today except for Arsenal who have made playing in UEFA Champions League their birthright, the rest three are not playing in the ongoing UEFA Champions League. Instead what you have are Manchester City, Leicester City and Tottenham.

“That is to tell you that the smaller teams as it were are fortifying their squad and are working very hard in order to be at the top flight like the big names we have in the league and that is what is also playing out in the domestic league.            

“Therefore, inasmuch as I love to see Heartland return the Premier league football where they rightfully belong to, it will not happen if the necessary things are not done like the issue of the players and technical crew welfare and a good relationship with the management.

“The management should be able to discharge its financial responsibilities to the players and technical crew and at the same time plan on how to return to the Premier League and work hard towards achieving the set goal,” Ekpo advised.

•Photo shows Heartland legend Friday Ekpo.

Source Daily Sports

Posted December 2, 2016

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