AFC Leopards need to declare one home venue

I fail to understand why AFC Leopards are scared of playing their home matches at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.

When Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani and Nyayo Stadium were closed down for renovations, Ingwe listed Thika Stadium, Kenyatta Stadium and Mumias Sports Complex as their alternative home grounds.

But even with the availability of Nyayo Stadium, Leopards have chosen elsewhere to host their matches, switching them to different venues throughout the country. This has confused the club supporters who now don’t know whether Ingwe are playing at home or away.

The important point is that a club needs to take advantage of its home ground.

The fact is most teams win more frequently at home because of pitch familiarity and of course home crowd support.

Ingwe players have suffered travel fatigue due to covering long distances to play their home matches.

My general finding is that a team like Ingwe, who are financially challenged, should take back their home matches to Nyayo since even assembling players would be easy.

Players can sleep in their homes rather than in a hotel, and have less distance to travel to the venue of their match were they know their passionate home fans await them with enthusiasm.

Home fans can have noticeable effects on the outcome of the game, not to mention the gate collection.

For example, the crowd often makes as much noise, as it can whenever the visiting team is about to make play, intimidating and harassing the visitors.

Environment factors such as weather and  altitude are easy to measure, but their effects are debatable, as both teams have to play in the same condition. But the home team may be more acclimatised to local conditions which may sometimes be hard to bear for visiting teams.

Another advantage of playing at home is that the stadium will typically be filled with supporters creating a torrid reception to the visiting team while carrying the home side high.

Generally the home fans vastly outnumber the visiting team supporters. Stadium announcers in many matches will emphasize the home team’s goals and line-up to excite the crowds.

After qualifying for the GOtv Shield quarter-finals, coach Robert Matano and his charges should fight harder to get it since their league hopes have faded.

Matano said his forward line was the problem and the players needed to focus on attack if they were to win matches, but he must understand that the transfer period ended and there is nothing the club can do in terms of adding players.

Ingwe have no excuse anymore and need to start getting maximum points if they are to climb from their miserable last quarter position in the league standing.

Matano seems to be the man to return Leopards to their glory days. He has so far managed to bring some level of order and progress to the den since his appointment a few weeks ago.

Ingwe players struggled to adapt to the cold weather in Limuru until Matano recommended that they return to Nairobi for their training.

But since they started holding their training sessions at Nairobi’s Railway Club, fans have started seeing good football accompanied by encouraging results.

In sports, home is the place and venue identified with the team spirit. Leopards cannot be having a home venue in almost every county. Home should be one place.

is Most professional teams are named for; and marked to, particularly metropolitan areas; amateur teams may be drawn from a particular region or from institutions such as schools or universities when they play in that venue they are said to be the “home team”.

Meanwhile, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my friends who are vying on different seats throughout the country.

May we have fair and peaceful election and may the best man win.