Dutch Coach Takes Over Heartland

Heartland have named Dutchman Lodewijk de Kruif as their new coach to replace Samson Siasia. 

  But former Super Eagles coach Christian Chukwu will take charge of the team while the club sorts out de Kruif’s work permit issues.

    De Kruif beat off competition from three other European managers to claim the position.

Dorian Marin from Romania, German Siegfried Bahner and former Enyimba coach Milorad Urukalo of Serbia all applied for the job.

 Heartland’s General Manager Fan Ndubuoke said the coach was picked by an interviewing panel that included Adegboye Onigbinde “The government has approved the appointment of a foreign technical adviser to head the technical crew.

 “The new coach, who is a Dutch national and who would be unveiled very soon, was selected after he came tops in an interview conducted by a panel of football experts in Nigeria led by Adegboye Onigbinde, with government officials as observers.

 “We will avail you the profiles of the new coach as soon as we complete all his papers with the Immigration department,” Ndubuoke said.

 While that happens, Ndubuoke explained Chukwu’s appointment “In the meantime, we cannot fold our hands and watch the team slide further on the table.

 “Therefore, we have drafted African legend and former coach of Super Eagles, Christian Chukwu, to the team to assist and guide our technical crew.”