Palos sack James Omondi, re-appoint Paul Ogai as head coach

National Super League outfit Palos FC have sacked head coach James ‘Odijo’ Omondi barely three months after assuming the role.

The club has appointed youth coach Paul Ogai, who at some point served as Omondi’s assistant, as the interim manager until the end of the current campaign.

The writing has been on the wall for the former KCB and Muhoroni Youth tactician who joined the Kisumu based side in June as assistant coach to Ogai before he was elevated to head coach later in August.

Omondi led the team to only two wins against Moyas and Shabana of the nine matches he was in charge.

Club chairman Patrick Imbuga told Daily Nation Sport that Ogai will now make a return as the head coach as they focus on saving their season.

“Omondi gave us targets that he failed to meet and it was affecting the team. We had no other option than terminating his contract. Paul (Ogai) takes charge since he understands the club well,” said Imbuga.

Imbuga added that the move has been necessitated by the club’s recent growth and the urge to take part in top flight football that has since slipped off their hands despite starting the 2016 season on a high.

“There couldn’t have been a better choice than Ogai considering the good job he has done at the club before. We played well at the beginning of the season but slumped after the mid-season break. We will start recruitment of players early so that we get back on the track as soon as possible.”

Omondi, who also coached Agro Chemicals in the second tier league, joined Palos after he was dismissed by Kenyan Premier League Top 8 champions Muhoroni Youth after a string of poor results.

His final match was Sunday's 1-0 win at Shabana that brought their point tally to 43 after 30 matches with eight more left to the end of the season.

Palos tackle NSL strugglers FC Talanta at Moi Stadium on Friday.