Versatile defender Uche Oguchi was filled with words of admiration and eulogy for teenage star Samuel Nnoshiri, crowning him as Heartland FC’s best player of the just concluded 2018/19 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) abridged season.
Oguchi scored the last goal of the season for Heartland at the Okigwe Stadium against El-Kanemi Warriors, a goal which assured the Naze Millionaires of another season in Nigeria’s top flight.
The experienced right back who also plays comfortably at defensive midfield told www.aclsports.com that Nnoshiri will be his own Player of the Season.
“I give my Heartland player of the season to Samuel Nnoshiri, the young player in the team because what he did is unbelievable,” said the Owerri-born Oguchi.
“(It was the) first time in his career that he’s playing in the NPFL and he did a lot of things.
“When you talk to him or the coaches talk to him, he wants to do something. Everyday, he tries something new and it’s unfortunate that he got injured in our game against Plateau United, he would have been in the Under 20 team.”
Nnoshiri, a left-footed attacking midfielder who was signed from little known ASJ Academy at the start of the season was deployed in right wing position by Heartland manager Mehmet Tayfun and the youngster scored a couple of crucial goals for the side.
“I’m happy for him because even now, he is abroad and I pray for him to succeed because he has tried to push himself and made it possible for him to be where he is today.
“He always abide by the advice from we the experienced players in the team; myself, Ebele Obi, (Julius) Ubido and Ike ThankGod. He is still young so I pray for him to succeed and play in Europe because this is the best time for him to play in Europe,” added Oguchi on the youngster who scored in Heartland’s wins over Nasarawa United and Kada City (now Delta Force).
For Oguchi though, having played a crucial role in Heartland’s late rally to avoid relegation, the former Lobi Stars wing back hinted at a possible return to Bahrain this summer but insists there is nothing cast in stone for him yet.
“My team in Bahrain made contact with me, apologised and all that. So the decision is left for me to make,” he told www.aclsport.com
“Well, I’m not saying I’m leaving Heartland and I’m not saying I’m staying but football is all about making the money because you have a lot of people to take care of.
If the negotiation or discussion is okay for me to go back, I don’t have a choice than to go but then if the discussion here (at Heartland) next season is okay for me, I will check both sides. If it is okay for me here, I stay and if it is okay for me there (in Bahrain), I have to go. It’s my career and I’ll make them see reasons,” said Oguchi.
Heartland defeated El-Kanemi Warriors 2-0 in Okigwe on the final day of the season to trade their relegation destiny with the Borno state sponsored side.
