Former Nigeria and Barcelona winger Emmanuel Amuneke has been appointed as the new coach of NPFL side Heartland FC, marking his return to the sidelines after a year-long hiatus.

Following recent reports that he was set to become Heartland’s coach, his appointment has now been officially confirmed.

Prior to this announcement, he had been quietly involved with his hometown club and has already started recruiting players for the upcoming season.

Amuneke’s last position was with Zambia’s Zanaco FC, where he served as both coach and consultant before departing in 2023.

Heartland FC was relegated from the NPFL after finishing 19th in the 20-team league last season.

However, the club is reportedly planning to acquire the NPFL slot of Beyond Limits, who earned promotion from the Nigeria National League (NNL) but face participation issues due to their affiliation with Remo Stars.

Amuneke, who recently applied for the Super Eagles head coach position, boasts extensive coaching experience.

He led Tanzania to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

He has managed Julius Berger and Ocean Boys in Nigeria, led the Nigeria U17 team to World Cup victory in 2015, and coached Tanzania’s national team, guiding them to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.