Mule’s office has achieved little to nothing so far

AFC Leopards chiefs Dan Mule (left) and Mathew Opwora (right) unveil the club's new head coach Ivan Jacky Minnaert at Upper Hill on February 26, 2016. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

What you need to know:

  • It is exactly one year and three months since AFC Leopards members elected Dan Mule to lead the Kenyan Premier League side for three years. So far, truth be told, his office has achieved little to nothing.
  • Mule took the baton at a time when the club was in the thresholds of a bare knuckled leadership struggle that almost saw the 53-year-old great Ingwe relegated.
  • Looking at his campaign manifesto, Mule, who was elected alongside most of his preferred picks, promised to deliver amongst other things, three sponsors, a revamped squad, stability in office, returning domestic and international donors to Ingwe and a club stadium.

It is exactly one year and three months since AFC Leopards members elected Dan Mule to lead the Kenyan Premier League side for three years. So far, truth be told, his office has achieved little to nothing.

Mule took the baton at a time when the club was in the thresholds of a bare knuckled leadership struggle that almost saw the 53-year-old great Ingwe relegated.

Looking at his campaign manifesto, Mule, who was elected alongside most of his preferred picks, promised to deliver amongst other things, three sponsors, a revamped squad, stability in office, returning domestic and international donors to Ingwe and a club stadium.

He outlined how he intended to work alongside the club’s shirt sponsors, SportPesa, to help secure land where the club would construct a stadium.

Mule promised to bring success to our beloved club as well as work diligently on his long term objectives in order to give the necessary infrastructure to continue to develop a winning team.

Apart from setting up a functional secretariat with a CEO, an accountant and a messenger on Mombasa road - a basic and necessary requirement - majority of Mule’s promises to Ingwe are yet to be initiated, leave alone fulfilled.

Other than witnessing a huge turnover of tactician, some who performed dismally, not much has changed.

In fact, just touching on the coaches, Leopards have gone through five of them, a world record perhaps, starting with Ivan Minnaet, Ezekiel Akwana, Stewart Hall, Dorian Marin and now Robert Matano.

The club’s official website to connect the team with its vast fan base both locally and abroad is very unreliable.

Mule is yet to recognize the importance of branches to the club’s growth, hence resulting in very low turnout during Ingwe matches.

Leopards branches are supposed to be more vibrant in the running of the club matters as per the constitution.

Mule should by now have ensured more branches were opened country wide and even outside Kenya’s borders - were are a big club remember, probably one of the biggest in Africa.

Mule also promised to revamp the marketing department for the club to bring in more revenue to the team.

He also promised to ensure the scouting department was revamped so as to search, identify and recruit the best talent across the region, but fans only witnessed low quality players being signed in cheap deals.

Under his leadership, Mule promised to strive to see that the club re established itself as a regional powerhouse and a centre of excellent and to position itself with the elite of African club football. But where are we? I cry for my beloved Leopards.

He also promised to pay more attention to the club legends by recognising them and giving them the special treatment they deserve e.g. free entry to all Ingwe matches.

But, truth be told, all these just appeared to be empty talk, for the fact is there is nothing on the ground.

There is nothing much to say about performance on the pitch. Action speaks louder than words. At the rate Leopards - the first team in Kenya to notch up 13 league titles, long before our noise neighbours equalled us only recently - is going we will be suffering the shame of fighting to avoid relegation. How now!?

Our only hope of silverware this season is in the GOtv Shield Cup.

Leopards at least, true to their ferocious name, devoured all before them to storm the final where they will face upstarts Kariobangi Sharks.

Bad year for Mule, bad year for Leopards, but winning GOtv will be a consolation of sorts... for now.