Heartland of Owerri Captain, Uche Akuwueze, has sensationally revealed that the Naze Millionaires had opportunity to remain in the Nigeria Premier Football League after the club was relegated to the second tier league, NNL, at the close of the 2024/2025 season but the Head Coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, objected to it with a strong charge for the team to 'fight' for their NPFL Return, Exclusivenews.com.ng reports.

Akuwueze said the players have heeded their coach's charge and are determined, focused and working hard to realise their objective.

He further disclosed they are working hard to ensure they won every single game, adding that a draw at away game is nothing for them to be celebrated because 'we're not proud of it'.

"The coach always tells us in every training session that we should face the reality", skipper Akuwueze began. 

"He always tells us that before you move forward, you must step backwards. The team had the opportunity to go back up to the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, (without playing in the NNL after relegation last season) but the coach said no, let's fight for it. 

"So, we know where we belong --- NPFL. Heartland does not belong to the NNL, we belong to the Premier League. And we want to get back to it as fast as possible. 

"Before the first round ends, we should be up there. So, getting nine points in three straight games is what we want, nothing less than that. Like I said, we'll continue to keep our heads high and focusing on the next game, taking them one after the other and getting good result. 

"A draw at away, is not our target and we're not proud of it".

Heartland have four points from a possible nine in three games. But the captain said it was a far cry from their preparation going into the season.

"If you followed our preparation before we started the season, what the coach had been teaching us, we're supposed to have won all the three games we've played so far. 

"The results we've been getting, yes it's football, we take it the way we see it, but then, we're not proud of it at all. If you look at the team, we're improving with each game. And that's what we want and we know that whatever we couldn't get right in this game (vs Gateway Utd),  the era of when you go to away match and get a draw you start celebrating is gone. 

"If you noticed, when the referee blew his final whistle, we're not happy. This is because we needed the three points. We'll have to go back home, prepare well and ensure that we got all the points in our home match this weekend and next away match", the young captain concluded.

Heartland will welcome Inter Lagos on Saturday at Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, in a matchday four fixture of the 2025/2026 NNL Conference A clash.