FKF-PL: Accept the club coach’s seat at your own peril!
Shabana FC coach Sammy Okoth issues instructions to his players from the bench during their Football Kenya Federation Premier League match againstFC Talanta at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on September 01, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Those who have been shown the door are Burundian Francis Haringingo (Sofapaka), Tom Juma (AFC Leopards), Francis Baraza (Kenya Police) and Twahir Muhiddin (Bandari)
- Okoth, however, trained the team on Monday at Goan Institute in Nairobi and is expected to be on the touchline when they face Gor Mahia on Wednesday at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani
- Matano and other members of Tusker’s technical bench survived sacking on October 22 despite losing 1-0 to Gor
The 2023/24 Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) is turning out to be a nightmare for club coaches as their employers demand nothing but best results from them..
After only eight rounds of matches that began on August 26, four clubs have parted ways with their coaches while several other tacticians are facing the sack over performance issues.
Those who have been shown the door are Burundian Francis Haringingo (Sofapaka), Tom Juma (AFC Leopards), Francis Baraza (Kenya Police) and Twahir Muhiddin (Bandari).
After suffering 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Ulinzi Stars on Sunday at Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi, an emotional Shabana coach Sammy Okoth abruptly announced his resignation saying this was the heaviest defeat he had suffered in his career.
A section of Shabana’s supporters at the stadium had meanwhile called for the sacking of Okoth -- the man who guided the Kisii-based club to the top flight league after 17 years out.
Okoth, however, trained the team on Monday at Goan Institute in Nairobi and is expected to be on the touchline when they face Gor Mahia on Wednesday at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Said Shabana chairman Jared Nevaton: “He is still the coach and if a time comes that he wants to leave the club, there is proper procedure to be followed. He will write to us and we have no reason to detain someone who wants to leave. As of now the office has confidence in him and we are fully behind him.”
Robert Matano has an ultimatum to turn around Tusker’s poor start while coach Godfrey “Solo” Oduor at Nzoia sugar, Nicholas Muyoti at Nairobi City Stars and Charles Odera at Muhoroni Youth are not sitting pretty after a slow start to the campaign.
Juma was chased like a dog from AFC Leopards after failing to register a win this season from six matches.
Under new coach Tomas Trucha, Ingwe tasted their first victory this season, a slim 1-0 result against struggling Nzoia last Sunday at Sudi Stadium.
Leopards lie a lowly 15th on the 18-team table.
For Harigingo, he spent less than three months at Sofapaka after being brought in to change the fortune of the 2009 champions.
He left alongside his assistant Pablo Nduwimana, after five-match winless streak.
The club’s former player Ezekiel Akwana is the man on the Sofapaka hot seat now. The 2009 champions lie bottom of the table.
Matano and other members of Tusker’s technical bench survived sacking on October 22 despite losing 1-0 to Gor.
Tusker’s chairman Charles Gacheru had given the veteran coach an ultimatum - beat Gor or face the sack.
He later said Matano would keep his job and help rebuild the team for the future.
Baraza was shown the door after a four-match winless streak.
Under new coach Zdravko Logarusic, the team has shown some signs of life, defeating Bidco United and City Stars 2-0 and 1-0 respectively, before losing 1-0 to Sofapaka.
It seems, as former federation chairman, the late Job Omino said, “coaches come and go” is an apt description of the situation in the Kenyan Premiership.
