Western Stima coach bags award

Western Stima tactician Salim Babu on Tuesday picked his second Fidelity Insurance Coach of the Month Award this season, beating Tusker coach Robert Matano for the December gong.

Both coaches won three games and drew once in the month of December, but Babu’s goal haul propped him above Matano. Stima scored 10 goals and conceded four goals playing against Nzoia Sugar, Zoo, Chemelil Sugar and Sofapaka, while Tusker scored half what Stima managed and conceded just two.

The Stima coach pocketed Sh75,000 courtesy of the event sponsors, Fidelity Insurance and becomes the third tactician to win more than two of the monthly gongs since its inception five years ago.

“I’m glad this is happening again this season and I want to thank my family and team for enabling me win this award. December was very competitive and I must say we really did our best to win the games that we played,” Babu said during his coronation at Moi stadium, Kisumu on Tuesday.

Babu expressed his frustration at Stima not being among the top five clubs of Kenyan Premier League and will not celebrate his monthly awards if his side remains rooted in mid-table.

“We are trying hard to make the entire team develop and compete for the league trophy. We had a good pre season training and started the season really well but results have not been as consistent,” he added.

Babu won the first the first award of the 2019/2020 season and hopes the December performance will give Stima a shot in the arm to finish the season with a flourish.

“We will take our chances in the remaining games and finish in the best position possible. We still have a good team and just need to keep our focus for the remaining games,” the former Kenyan international defender said.