Nigeria Premier League (NPL) side, Heartland Football Club, appears to have started their surgical operation from the coaching bench with the sack of assistant coach, Emeka Ezeugo, SuperSport.com understands.
Ezeugo confirmed his sack in an exclusive interview with SuperSport.com on Wednesday morning.
The 43-year-old coach said he was handed the letter terminating his contract at the Naze Millionaires on Monday.
But he disclosed that he was never offered any contract by the former Nigerian champions in the two months he spent working as Samson Siasia’s assistant.
Ezeugo said he will leave the base of Heartland in Owerri to Lagos in the wake of the development.
“Yes, I got the letter on Monday. The issue of sack is often synonymous with the life of a coach because it is either you’re hired or fired. But I will be leaving Owerri for Lagos now because for me life must go on,” he said.
The termination letter given to Ezeugo, on the other hand, read that he must leave the club’s accommodation within 24 hours of receiving the letter as well as relinquish all club properties to an official of the side.
Part of the letter read thus: “As you are aware you have been unable to sign a contract with the club making it impossible to perfect your appointment as chief coach. In view of the fact that the club is not currently engaged in any competition your services are no longer required and your services terminated. You will please return all of the club’s properties in your possession to the accountant on the receipt of this letter. Also note that your accommodation privilege at the Executive Garden Hotels will terminate on Tuesday. We wish you the best in your future endeavours.”
However, Heartland chairman, Ignatius Okehialam, in reaction said the coach refused to accept the terms of contract offered him by the Nigerian club leaving them with no option than to end his stay with the side.
Okehialam said Heartland’s
“After I discussed with Emeka alongside his lawyer and his brother, I made an offer. He said he was going to consider it. He came back to state his terms and I told him that I cannot go beyond my offer for him.
“So he started work and I made a contract and gave to him, which he read. I also asked if the contract was okay with him and he said it was. We begged him to sign the contract but he didn’t, and I didn’t have a contract to be able to get out money for him since Heartland is owned by the Imo State government. So something had to happen at some point.
“But I must say that Emeka is a fantastic person and I’d have loved to work with him but unfortunately this had to happen and I wish him the best,” said the Heartland chief.
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