AFC Leopards boss issues alarm over club’s stability

What you need to know:

  • The weekend results left former champions Tusker, Sofapaka, and AFC Leopards in unfamiliar lower reaches of the table.
  • Even though this scenario may yet change, these three clubs were widely tipped to challenge for the championship at the start of the season.

It turned out to be a weekend of stalemates in the Kenyan Premier League with all but one of the seven matches ending in draws.

This as strikers appeared to struggle, with a paltry seven goals scored in as many matches, an average of just one per match.

Compare that with 26 goals scored in nine matches the other week.

Or is it that the defenders were up to the task?

At the same time, AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda has expressed worry at the current state of affairs at the club blaming the fans for abandoning the team and putting unnecessary pressure on its leadership.

Leopards drew 0-0 with Kariobangi Sharks on Saturday in one of the six stalemates recorded at the weekend.

According to the former Kenya International who was elected to the position three months ago, Ingwe is currently in dire straits financially and has not paid player salaries for last month just like their arch rivals Gor Mahia.

Shikanda reiterated that he wouldn’t fire the club’s coach Casa Mbung’o as a section of Ingwe fans have been demanding, insisting the tactician and the new players need time to gel.

“Our fans continue to lament yet they always enter the stadium without paying for our matches. How do they expect us to raise revenue?

“Even the Paybill number we launched last month has not helped because the fans are not contributing. It is sad that I have only been in the office for three months and some are demanding that we fire the coach,” said Shikanda.

He requested Ingwe fans to be patient and concentrate on ways of uplifting the club saying their target of winning the league is achievable.

Winning in this league is seemingly not easy.

"These (results) suggest the competition is stiff. Remember our league season has just started after a long break and most of the players are still fresh," said Kenya Premier League Chief Executive Jack Oguda.

The weekend results left former champions Tusker, Sofapaka, and AFC Leopards in unfamiliar lower reaches of the table.

Even though this scenario may yet change, these three clubs were widely tipped to challenge for the championship at the start of the season.