Heartland’s Emmanuel Amuneke Laments Poor Conversion Rate, Calls for Urgent Improvement
Heartland FC’s technical adviser, Emmanuel Amuneke, has openly expressed his frustration over his team’s consistent failure to convert clear-cut chances, despite dominating matches.
The Naze Millionaires have been struggling to find the back of the net, having scored only twice in their last four league games. Their latest disappointment came in a 1-1 draw against Bayelsa United in Owerri on Sunday, a game where Heartland once again failed to capitalize on their dominance.
In a post-match interview, the former Super Eagles coach didn’t hold back his concerns.
“Every game we have played, our objective is to win. It’s not even about winning now that I am worried about, but if you look at the number of chances we create as a team and still find it difficult to convert them, it’s a concern for me.”
Amuneke acknowledged that while the team often controls games, their lack of precision in front of goal makes their efforts look wasted.
“If you really understand this game, you could see we controlled the game against Bayelsa United. This is football—when you don’t get it right, it looks like all your efforts are shortened. Like I said, I am worried about that because it also affected us in Lagos.”
The experienced tactician emphasized the need for a quick solution, admitting he will review their strategy to find ways to improve their conversion rate.
“As a coach, I need to go back and look at what we can do in that area.”
Opinion: Heartland Needs Ruthlessness in Attack, Not Just Possession
Amuneke’s frustration is understandable. Heartland’s ability to dominate games is impressive, but their lack of cutting-edge finishing has clearly become a stumbling block.
Creating chances without converting them is like building a magnificent structure with no foundation—it’s destined to collapse. Amuneke’s side cannot continue to rely solely on their possession game if they lack the efficiency to finish off moves.
Perhaps what Heartland needs is not just tactical adjustments but mental sharpness and confidence in the final third. Bringing in a specialist attacking coach or dedicating more time to finishing drills during training could be part of the solution.
If Amuneke’s men are to turn their fortunes around, they need to start finding the net consistently. Otherwise, all their dominance and creativity on the pitch will continue to count for nothing.
Can Heartland find the attacking ruthlessness they so desperately need? Or will their struggles in front of goal haunt them throughout the season?
