Former Mountain of Fire and Ministries Football Club (MFM FC) Coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu, has disclosed that it was a tough decision to leave the Lagos-based team for Heartland FC of Owerri. He added, however, he chose to leave for a new challenge after 13 years of meritorious service, which started from the amateur rank.
Heartland has a home game on Monday in Matchday one of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) fixtures, which starts this weekend and Ilechukwu said he cannot afford not to win his first game in the duel against MFM.
Speaking to The Guardian yesterday, the coach said he was ready for the start of the league, adding that his players were working assiduously to adjust to his plan for the new season.
“Leaving MFM wasn’t an easy decision on my side. My family members all objected to it at first, but later saw reasons why I needed a new challenge after 13 meritorious years with the club right from when they were in the amateur league.
“Pastor Olukoya has been so good to me and you wouldn’t want to stop working with such a man of God because he has been more than a father to me. He still prays for me. I even told him to call me anything he needs my service, which I will never refuse.
“I felt I needed to give those under me also the opportunity to handle the club just as I was given the chance. I was treated very well by both the management and fans,” he said, adding that he had no choice to leave and seek a new environment when the chance came.
“I am just two months and some weeks in Heartland now. Coming here means it is not going to be an easy task because people are going to expect much from you in terms of good results and also to see good football.
“We are working towards achieving that and I think we are close to it. I have two former MFM players, Chijioke Akuneto and Julius Emiloju, with me in Heartland. We are not leaving any stone unturned as we must win because we have all it takes to do that,” he stated.
