Heartland for overhaul – Lodewijk

BY JACOB AJOM
The triumph over arch-rivals Enyimba International Football Club of Aba came as a shock to Heartland’s Dutch technical adviser, Lodewijk de Kruit.

Even after his team lifted the Federation Cup at the expense of the Aba Elephants, the coach said “they were the clear favourites, given their form in the CAF Champions League and their present standing in the Nigerian Premier League.

“I had tipped them to win the cup because of all that goes for them presently,” Lodewijk reiterated in a post match chat with Sports Vanguard, pointing out, however, that “my players played very well and deserved to win.”

He said the match was a tight one and it was a battle between “two familiar sides” which saw very few chances. “They did not create many chances. We utilised our own chance and that made the difference,” the technical adviser said.

Lodewijk said the victory was a fitting season ending event as the club would have gone empty handed this year. “When I came, I met the team in the 10th position on the league table and knew it will be impossible to win the league. Now that the team have qualified for continental football, we will go back and re-organise. We are bound to bring in some new players and free some to go. We must be ready against next year. But the immediate thing is for us to go partying.

We must have a big party.”

The coach thanked the governor and people of Imo state for their unflinching support for the team throughout their campaign.