Leopards will overcome exit of key players

I must salute Ingwe fans and players who stayed put and endured such a miserable time last season rather than walk out on this great club.

Thank you for living to the club’s motto; “Ours Forever.” As I’ve always said, supporting AFC Leopards is not for the faint hearted. Just as we triumph together so must we go down and rise from the ashes together.

As I welcome back you to the new season, I guarantee you that just as the darkest night gives way to a bright morning, so will last season’s misery yield to a brilliant 2016 KPL season.

Disregard the cynics shouting themselves hoarse on rooftops that this may be Ingwe’s last season in Kenya’s top flight football.

Tell them that we have been in worse situations before and prevailed. Remember the 1998 season when we were forced back to the drawing board after the head coach Abu Koroma and the entire Ingwe first eleven jumped ship after the preceding season?

RISING FROM ASHES

Then, we lost the likes of Tom Juma, the late John Lichuku, Hassan Sessay, Omar Banza, Eric “Cantona” Ochieng, John “Deo” Odhiambo and many others. With only Agripa Nyanje, James Kayimba, Fred Ambani, Eric Mbwabi and Mathews Otamax left, pessimists were quick to write Ingwe off.

They ought to have known that with the infinite supply of talent from the grassroots, Ingwe was more than capable of rising from the ashes.
With hugely talented high school leavers led by Simon Mulama, Austin Makacha, Rodgers Muhanji and current assistant coach Nicholas Muyoti coming on board, the Leopard was ready to roar again and it did roar.

Granted, we have lost valuable players during the just ended transfer window. However disappointed one may be with the departing legion, we must concede that there is only one Bernard Mang’oli and that we will miss him. Same for Edwin Wafula, Jackson Saleh, Duncan Otieno, Timona Wanyonyi and the rest. We must however soldier on, Mang’oli or no Mang’oli.

I’ve had occasion to watch the new look Ingwe and I can assure you that they will not disappoint.

Clifford Miheso needs no introduction. He easily stands out among the best in the country, if not the region. There is no doubt about Lamine Diallo and Jumaan Khalid’s quality, unless one lives in Pluto.

In team captain Lucas Indeche, we have a pair of safe hands. Give Bernard Ongoma a few matches and you will see the new Mang’oli. The boy walks with the map of the pitch in his brain and his vision and passing precision is second to very few in this part of the world.

Alfred Wekesa “Kemboi” and Simon Abuko “Walcott” too will impress, as will Allan Katerega, Andrew Diego, Geoffrey Ouma and the rest so fear not. And to the Opworas and his ilk, it will not be business as usual. They either shape up or ship out.

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