Juma, beware of unforgiving Leopards lair

I will start by congratulating Tom Juma following his “appointment” as new AFC Leopards coach.

For starters, I love this chap. 

And this is partly because If we were to take a trip down memory lane, even meticulous researchers would require ample time and resources to find a better hard tackling midfielder who served Leopards with determination and gusto the way Juma did in his prime.

And then, I am also encouraged after taking time to peruse his curriculum vitae.

Having hang up his boots after playing in Europe for close to a decade, Juma also took time to head to Germany and study coaching. 

Plus, his record after recent coaching stints at Muhoroni Youth and earlier on Administration Police is quite commendable. 

Also, I am of the opinion Kenyan would develop at a faster rate if we were to empower and hand opportunities to local coaches. Jacob “Ghost” Mulee, James Nandwa and more recently my former high school mate Bernard Mwalala are prime examples.

While Mwalala is working wonders at Nzoia United, Nandwa is the last local coach to win a trophy at Leopards and take charge of the team in continental engagements.

Mulee proved his worth by qualifying Harambee Stars to the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations.

Back to Juma, he started his tint at the country’s most popular football club in style, by whipping Dero FC 15-1 in a GOtv Shield game played at Moi Stadium in Kisumu on Saturday.

That’s some way to announce one’s arrival.

But he should not get carried away. Tough times lie ahead, surely.

I would like to send out a diplomatic warning to my brother Juma, even though I am pretty sure he knows what he has got himself into by accepting this appointment (even if the club has yet to officially announce it).

Please note, the Leopards coaching job is literally a land mine of challenges, or to borrow the words of a former coach, it is a “graveyard of coaches.”

Reason being, the club is faced with several administrative and financial challenges that end up hindering a coach from performing to his potential. 

Earlier this year, I took time and praised Englishman Stewart Hall’s arrival at the den on the basis of his impressive record. But in six months, he is gone. 

In fact, Juma is Leopards’ coach because Romanian Dorian Marin had challenges settling in. But that’s a story for another day.

Not even a litany of legal suits have forced the Leopards management to rethink.

Without lamenting too much, I hope the management has prepared an elaborate contract for Juma, although I really doubt it. 

My simple advice to the ex-Kenya international would be to - however hard it may seem - try and be his own man. This means resisting all influence from the management as far as player recruitment, training and player selection is concerned. You are the coach, not them. 

The risk in listening to them is that this administrators will throw you under the bus without a second thought immediately things head south. Ask Ivan Minnaert. Ask Pieter de Jongh. Ask James Nandwa. Ask Timam Olaba. I could go on.

Anyway, I pray he salvages our season by winning the GOtv Shield and shutting up those pesky hooligans when we face them in the Mashemejy Derby second leg. 

I know you can do this brother. If you can achieve that in the current conditions, I will personally lobby to have a street named after you. All the best.