Lower your expectations guys, the Leopard is limping: Ingwe coach Thomas Trucha to fans
Less than 24 hours after Ingwe held its gala where fans and players were feted in a bid to motivate them in readiness for silverware in the coming season, Ingwe coach Thomas has urged fans to lower their expectations.
During the 2023/24 season, Ingwe posted mixed results dropping points when they were least expected to and giving a way easy goals like it happened against arch rivals Gor. With the mixed results, leopards finished 5th on the log something that has disturbed the loyal blue fans.
"The coach's statement however true, is demoralizing both to the fans and his charges"
It should not be forgotten that in the 2010/2011 season Robert Lion Matano was incharge of AFC leopards. He took the team to Mbaraki to play against Congo boys which by then was under coach Gilbert Selebwa. Going down 0:1 against Congo boys fc was unacceptable and Matano was fired summarily.
Exit Matano enter Nick Yakhama.
To replace Matano was none other than the fierce Nick Yakhama. Before the ink that had signed the dismissal letter (Matano was actually fired via an SMS) could dry, Yakhama assessed his squad and announced that the squad was ill equiped to challenge for the title.
This statement was interpreted to mean the coach had no confidence in the playing unit and his own ability to turn the team around.
If all you have is a vitz, then forget about winning the safari rally”~Dr Onyino.
The forme club vice chairman Dr Walter Onyino summed up the gaffer’s views as above. It seemed then that AFC had entered a vitz into a rally.
What befell Matano knocked at Yakhama’s door and he was unceremoniously relieved of his duties.
In pursuit of silverware, Ingwe has been changing coaches like one changes diapers with zero results. Infact Ingwe has had more coaches turnover that trophies. It is Infact Ashitiva and Lidonde cup that AFC can lay claim on never mind the village teams that the team comes up against. So when Dr Shikanda announced to the world that Ingwe was coming for the title, the coach Mr Thomas Trucha would never let him get away with it, he had to respond.
We are ill equiped to challenge for the title~Trucha.
AFC Leopards coach Tomas Trucha has downplayed Chairman Dan Shikanda’s assertions that the club will secure the league title next season.
“When President Dan (Shikanda) talks about winning titles, I always ask how we plan to achieve that. Do we have the best team? The best training facilities in the country? How do our local and foreign players stack up against those in other top Kenyan teams? Do we have the highest budget and the most sponsors? The answer is no, and there are no shortcuts in football. To win a title, you need to be fully prepared and know exactly how to do it. We’ll have a competitive team, but other clubs aren’t just sitting back,” Trucha said.
He also disclosed that the club has not signed most of the players he had recommended.
“Last season, I watched many matches in the Kenya Premier League and National Super League (NSL). From this scouting, we submitted a list of players we wanted to the AFC management, but most of them didn’t join us,” Trucha added.
Ingwe has signed five players in a bid to bolster its squad this season.
The club has acquired the services of Peter Manyang the captain of South Sudan national team, Sydney Lokale from Kariobangi Sharks,Julius Masaba also from K Sharks,and Samuel Semo from Murang’a seals fc.
