Coaches come and go but not at AFC Leopards rate

Firing coaches is inevitable in the business of football. It is a conscious and deliberate effort and is intended to take the club in the right direction.

But for some reason, this action has repeatedly seen AFC Leopards suffer unintended consequences.

When it is time to part ways with the coach, it must be a well-thought out process that takes in all pros and cons as well as the results of the decision.

John Stewart Hall was not sacked. He opted to leave following speculation about his future at the den after Ingwe started sinking in the stormy KPL waters.

I hope new coach Dorian Marin is here for the long term since parting ways with him after a few poor results will not make any sense.

Marin can save us from the quagmire we find ourselves in if we give him enough time as his resume rates him among the best.

The Romanian is known for his astuteness in saving clubs from the drop and has received numerous awards.

Those who have read about his record will agree with me that the tactician is such a meticulous planner who devices all possible strategies for the season long before it has started.

The former Eritrea coach is actually known for his penchant for winning league titles wherever he has featured.

After the just ended SportPesa Super Cup in Dar es Salaam, I’m sure Marin will study the remaining KPL fixtures and prepare a strong team for the second leg scheduled to kick off next weekend.

Mathematically, Leopards are still in title contention and Marin is capable of reaching the target number of points that would guarantee Ingwe the crown at the end of the season.

The few days he has been with the boys in Dar during the SportPesa Super Cup, we have seen some progress. The team made it to the final, did it not?

The last time Leopards came close to clinching the league was in 2013 when they finished second, but did you known that in a span of seven year AFC Leopards have had 18 different coaches,  while Gor Mahia have had only four changes in five years.

Every time Ingwe has under performed, it’s the coach who has been fired at the den, even when the team doesn’t have the right players.

K’Ogalo had the best squad in 2012 that enabled them win the league title three times in five years.

Most of their coaches were not sacked but left due to their personal needs.
Zdravko Logarusic opted to leave 2012 even after leading them to second place behind Tusker. He moved to Tanzania to take over Simba SC before coming back to coach Ingwe. Former Uganda Cranes coach, Bob Williamson took over from Logarusic before he was given Harambee Stars to handle.

His confidant, Frank Nutall took over at K’Ogalo helping them win the 2015 league title, only to leave after disagreeing with the club management over payments.

In came, Marcelo Ferreira who guided the green shirts to second place behind Tusker last season. Even when their coach is under pressure, the Gor management always side with them, looking at the bigger picture.

James Nandwa, who led Ingwe to finish second in 2013 despite winning the GOtv Shield, was chased a few months later after two loses. Tom Olaba was fired after being in charge of four matches. Jan Koops was sacked after being in charge for one month. Gilbert Selebwa who fought hard for the return of Ingwe to top flight football was chased like a dog. We cannot go on like this.