Makwata: Everyone looking for way out of Leopards
Kenyan Premier League leading scorer John Makwata of AFC Leopards has hinted at another mass exodus of players from the 12-time champions as financial crisis engulfs the club.
Makwata, who has scored 12 goals this season, is likely to leave Kenya this week for East Europe or Zambia.
Ingwe have already lost eight players who featured for the club in the first half of the season and will be left short should more jump ship.
“Right now, everyone is looking for a way out and it is a challenge to the office to do their bit.
Everyone is working hard and the only reason we turn up to play is because of the encouragement we get from fans.
As long as we are still here, we will give our very best but the situation is not looking good,” said Makwata, who is on course for a second career golden boot in KPL should he stay and keep his scoring touch.
He marveled at the thought of bagging a second golden boot but the scourge of financial incapacity at the club seems to have won the battle of wits.
“It’s a great feeling to be scoring goals each team I step onto the pitch. As a striker, that is what you always look forward to and I want to keep doing that as long as I play.
There are those who left the club because of the financial problems but we stayed. We had a really good team at the beginning of the season but unfortunately, most have left.
Players have persevered for six months without pay but it will be difficult to keep them for the remaining half of the season in such conditions,” he Makwata.
Ingwe skipper Robinson Kamura however, remained defiant, saying: “AFC Leopards will never die.
Good players have been here and gone but the club moved on. Even now, there are players who have left but we will continue to give our best.”
Coach Anthony ‘Modo’ Kimani issued a rallying call to the players to keep their focus on developing their careers.
“The boys want to play football despite what is going on. They know this is their career.
It’s normal for human beings to move from place to place but that does not mean that football stops or the ones left behind slow down. They have to carry on and play gallantly in every match,” said Kimani.
