AFC Leopards must bring back home players
What you need to know:
- Leopards must revive their relationship with local coaches in Western region who can scout for good players for the club.
The current trend where the AFC Leopards is signing foreign players who are no better (or in same cases a lot worse than the local players they replaced) should be a big concern to any right thinking club fan.
AFC Leopards must only sign top quality foreign players who can add strength to the team and not bench warmers.
Ingwe signed five foreign players ahead of 2018 season, but it’s only winger Baker “Bakerazy” Lukooya who is adding value to the club.
The Ugandan being the only overseas player considered it means the Ghanaian trio Prince Arkoh, Isaac Oduro, Eric Bekoe and Nigerian midfielder Henry Uche are not good enough to start a match.
Which begs the question, how did they find themselves at the Den?
Many fans are now left wondering why our home-grown youngsters including Edwin Mukolwe, Harun Nyakha, Marcellus Ingotsi, Lewis Wanami, Samuel Ndung’u and Ibrahim Mao were allowed to go yet they had gained entry into the main squad.
Leopards has in the recent times had several foreigners including Burundian Floribert Ndayisaba who was bought for a club record Sh1.5 million only to leave after spectacularly flopping.
His foreign counterpart, Alexis Kitenge stayed on the bench for long just like Arkoh before he was axed.
There was also former Vipers SC misfiring striker, Keziron Kizito who left the club for Indian Super League side, Kerala Blasters FC.
AFC Leopards management must think again on this question of recruiting foreign players and only sign imports from big teams and who have a proven track record of delivery.
There are many players in Kenya who are itching for an opportunity to prove their value.
How many other (Yusuf) Mainge’s, (Moses) Mburu’s, (Dennis) Sikhayi’s, (Marvin) Nabwire’s and (Joseph) Kuria’s are out there?
If a player is brought in to score goals and has not scored any, yet the league is in the eighth round, then he is more of a liability that an asset to the team.
Between 2010 and last season, it is only Tanzanian linkman Salim Kinje, Rwandan defender Jonas “Paco” Nahimana, Ugandan Musa Mudde, striker Austin Ekenna and Gilbert Fiamenyo of Ghana who made an impact at Leopards.
Today, the only foreign player worth mentioning is Lukooya who combines well with Jaffrey Odeny, Ezekiel Odera, Aziz Okaka and Briana Marita.
At the signing of the five foreigners, Leopards fans had high expectations, but have since started doubting the new acquisitions.
I can confidently state that Kenya has a huge talent pool from which local teams can tap into.
Ingwe's technical bench must take time to go watch secondary school games, lower division leagues, estate tournaments and pick talent from there.
Some coaches claiming to be acting on behalf of the team have been watching various tournaments including Chapa Dimba na Safaricom, but have not spotted any player.
Leopards must revive their relationship with local coaches in Western region who can scout for good players for the club.
Remember Kakamega High School and Ministry of Works FC (MoW) products of the 1980s who made Leopards popular both locally and internationally? Now you get my drift - if you are old enough.
Those talented players passed through the hands of the late Chris Makokha, long serving MoW and Kakamega High School tactician.
During the period, Leopards won the East and Central Club Championship title three times in a row (1982, 1983 and 1984).
