Henry Omino bags Coach of the Month award again

Western Stima coach Henry Omino is the Fidelity Insurance Coach of the Month for September.

Omino, who also claimed the July accolade, became the first coach to win the monthly award twice in a season since its conception in February this year.

Speaking shortly after the awards ceremony at the Moi Stadium in Kisumu, Omino paid tribute to his players and the club’s backroom staff, saying that it is their commitment and hard work that made it possible for him to bag the award.

"I'm grateful that for the second time in three months, this award has come my way. I cannot however take all the credit. The players have put in a lot of work, the other members of the technical bench have been very supportive and the club management has been dedicated to ensuring that conditions are favourable for the entire team to excel,” said Omino after receiving a Sh50,000 cash reward a trophy.

“Our aim at this moment is to finish either in first or second place because I believe that we have the pedigree to compete in the Caf competitions,” he said.

Omino narrowly beat Gor Mahia tactician Marcelo Ferreira, Tusker coach Paul Nkata and Sony Sugar’s Salim Babu who were also been shortlisted for the award.

The 53-year-old tactician, who is also the longest serving tactician in the Kenyan Premier League currently, garnered 19 votes, two clear of Ferreira who had also collected two wins in that month but could not lead his charges past bottom-placed Sofapaka in their last outing.

Omino led Stima to two successive wins in their league matches in September, identical 1-0 wins over Nairobi City Stars and AFC Leopards.

Paul Nkata, the league leaders head coach, was third with 14 votes while Salim Babu of Sony Sugar managed 10 votes in a poll conducted by sports journalists.

Francis Kimanzi (Mathare United - February), Zedekiah Otieno (Posta Rangers - March), Ivan Minnaert (ex-AFC Leopards - April), Salim Babu (Sony Sugar - May), Omino (Western Stima - July), Francis Baraza (Chemelil - August) are the other winners of the award this term.

Western Stima are currently third in the table, eight points adrift of Tusker and five behind second-placed Gor Mahia with five games to the end of the season.