Rodolfo Zapata jets in for Ingwe talks

Argentine Rodolfo Zapata arrives in the country on Thursday to complete talks on taking over as new AFC Leopards coach.

And the 51-year-old believes he is the man to end the club’s 20-year-wait for the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title.

Leopards, who have won the KPL title 13 times, last clinched the gong in 1998 and the past 20 years has been punctuated with near misses and pace setting for their rivals.

Their nemesis Gor Mahia ended an 18-year title hangover in 2013 and have since bagged four league crowns to take their tally to 16.

From 1998, Tusker have been the most successful with six titles followed by Gor and Ulinzi Stars on four each, the defunct Oserian Fastac have two, while Sony Sugar (2006), Mathare United (2008) and Sofapaka (2009) have one apiece.

The 51-year-old Argentine, who is set to become Ingwe's 13th coach in only four years, knows what’s expected of the team currently ranked third on the KPL standings, five points shy of leaders Mathare United after 10 games.

“It feels good taking up a club that is hungry for a league title. I love the challenge ahead of me, AFC Leopards is a big team in Africa that deserves big things,” Zapata, who jets in the country on Thursday, told Nation Sport from his base in Gaborone, Botswana.

He has been in-charge of Gaborone United, which currently sits fifth on the 16-team log with 39 points from 25 rounds, after three years at the helm.

The former goalkeeper added: “I saw all of Leopards’ games on YouTube and I can confess they have excellent players and this is part of the reason I chose them.”

His experience working in Africa with Nigerian side Sunshine Stars and Mpumalanga Black Aces of South Africa is what convinced the AFC Leopards' executive to settle on him out of over 20 coaches that had applied for the job.

“He has coached in Africa therefore understands our immediate targets, we also considered financial demands from the three we had shortlisted and he met our expectations,” emphasized Ingwe chairman Dan Mule.

“Once he arrives, we shall finalise on negotiations and sign a season-long performance contract. It’s thereafter that we shall decide whether to have him permanently or not, but we believe he is the man to guide us back to our glory days,” added Mule.

If appointed, he will replace interim coach Dennis Kitambi, who jets out on May 8 to Bangladesh to reunite with another former Ingwe coach Stewart Hall at Saif Sports Club.

He is likely to watch from the stands as Leopards’ play away to Bandari on Saturday.

“We want him to work closely with Kitambi, who will help him know the playing unit and acclimatize with our style of play. Kitambi will also propose him a suitable local assistant coach to work with,” concluded Mule.