Tusker deny sabotage claims

AFC Leopards striker Mungai Kiongera (second left) leads teammates Gilbert Fiamenyo (left) and Mercellas Ingotse (second right) in celebrating their third goal against Nakumatt during their SportPesa Premier League match on March 19, 2017 at Thika Municipal Stadium. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

What you need to know:

  • Tusker have dismissed speculation about dressing room unrest and insisted that the players are united and committed to their season’s ambition of retaining the SportPesa Premier League title.
  • Media liason officer Diana Yonah, who spoke to Nation Sport after coach George Nsimbe had declined requests for a post-match interview after Sunday's 2-0 loss away to Thika United, also said that the club does not harbor any ambitions of sanctioning the coach over the dwindling performance.
  • On Monday, assistant coach Francis Baraza blamed the team’s poor performance to sheer bad luck, promising that they will improve as the season wears on.

Tusker have dismissed speculation about dressing room unrest and insisted that the players are united and committed to their season’s ambition of retaining the SportPesa Premier League title.

Media Liason officer Diana Yonah, who spoke to Nation Sport after coach George Nsimbe had declined requests for a post-match interview after Sunday's 2-0 loss away to Thika United, also said that the club does not harbor any ambitions of sanctioning the coach over the dwindling performance.

On Monday, assistant coach Francis Baraza blamed the team’s poor performance to sheer bad luck, promising that they will improve as the season wears on.

“That issue (of sabotage) is a very serious one and I do not want to comment on it. I have heard that from fans but in my estimation I think that luck as not been on our side. We are training every day according to schedule, the players are putting their best efforts both in training at in the game and I know that with time, everything will be okay,” he said.

Baraza’s viewpoint will however have little effect in convincing the masses considering the defending champions’ worsening situation that has seen them fall to the bottom league position having conceded seven goals from two games.

Easily beaten 5-2 by Nzoia United in their league opener, the brewers are enduring possibly the worst start any defending champion has recorded in recent Kenyan top flight history.

Though they haven’t faced any of the top teams so far, Tusker have been hopelessly overwhelmed by their opponents in both games, a situation that has now casts aspersions on the tactical credibility of the team’s technical bench.

Nsimbe has now lost four competitive games this year, but he has a fortnight to re-organise his strategies as the league takes a break in respect of the Fifa international week.

And as the 11-time champions are trying to find their foot in as afar as the 2017 season is concerned, 13-time champions AFC Leopards and their cross town rivals Gor Mahia are operating form the opposite side of the form book.

On Sunday, Ingwe made a lovely start to the season, beating newly promoted side Nakumatt 3-0 in a match where coach Stewart Hall admitted to being under “some kind of pressure”.

Playing a strategic formation that laid emphasis in the midfield while having only three defenders, Ingwe overpowered the Nakumatt side that featured a mature squad that included former Ingwe players Kepha Aswani, Cresten Mwanzo, Eugene Ambulwa and Jack Bruno.

Ghanaian striker Gilbert Fiamenyo finally made his debut for Ingwe since he was signed in June last year, and he displayed good potential by scoring the first goal of the match.

New signing Robinson Kamura assisted another newcomer Marcellus Ingotse to the second goal as veteran Paul Kiongera finished off the rout on Nakumatt.

Their performances was enough proof that the 13-time champions are well equipped with the right personnel to drive their ambitions this season.

K’Ogalo have remained perched on top of the table on six points thanks to reigning SPL Most Valuable Player Kenneth Muguna, who scored the all-important goal that saw them beat Zoo Kericho 1-0 on Saturday in Kisumu.