Former AFC Leopards coach Zapata speaks out
What you need to know:
- On Monday, Zapata clarified that he recommended a squad of 25 quality players and an additional five who would be picked from the youth side for six-week pre-season training ahead of the new season.
- “I understand that some supporters are disappointed, but they should know that it’s not easy to change 20 years of history in five months. It was difficult working under the circumstances but with consistency and a strong squad, these boys will fight for the league,” he said.
Former AFC Leopards coach, Radolfo Zapata, has spoken for the first time since parting ways with the club last month.
Speaking to Nation Sport from New York on Monday, the Argentine said he parted ways with the SportPesa Premier League club on mutual consent.
Zapata also said that he recommended some changes to the team’s playing unit which were to be effected at the end of the season, but the recommendations did not include trimming the squad from 31 to 25 as some club officials have claimed.
“I told club officials to bring in five quality players - a goalkeeper, two central defenders and two strikers - if the club was going to compete for the league title,” the 51-year-old said on Monday on phone.
Last week, club secretary Oscar Igaida confirmed that the playing unit would be trimmed down to 25 players from 31 before the new season starts on December 8 “in line with Zapata’s recommended structure for the new season.”
On Monday, Zapata clarified that he recommended a squad of 25 quality players and an additional five who would be picked from the youth side for six-week pre-season training ahead of the new season.
“I understand that some supporters are disappointed, but they should know that it’s not easy to change 20 years of history in five months. It was difficult working under the circumstances but with consistency and a strong squad, these boys will fight for the league,” he said.
He did not rule out working again with the club.
