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Shimanyula takes dig at Leopards, Gor leadership for hired foreign coaches

Tuesday, May 23rd, 2023 09:40 | By

Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula believes Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League outfits AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia are misusing their resources by employing services of foreign coaches to help them win local accolades.

The two Kenyan clubs are managed by foreign coaches:  Belgium’s Pattrick Aussems is in charge of Ingwe while Johnathan McKinstry from Northern Ireland is handling K’Ogalo.

While AFC Leopards will end the season without a silverware after losing to Homeboyz 2-1 in the semi-finals of the FKF Cup at the weekend, Gor Mahia are still fighting Tusker to win the Premier League title.

Shimanyula is of the opinion the two clubs should put faith in local coaches for success.

“Having a foreign coach in the Premier League is a waste of time and resources, better hire a local coach who can do the job three times better than those foreign coaches,” Shimanyula told People Daily Sports.

“At Homeboyz, I have never thought of, even a second to hire a foreign coach, for what? We have good coaches in the country who can do this job and bring success to any club.

“For example, Tusker are doing very well under Robert Matano, they are chasing for a double, is Matano a foreign coach? Look at Nzoia Sugar, they are challenging for the title under Salim Babu, is Salim [Babu] a foreign coach?

“It is the same case with Homeboyz, we are in the final of the FKF Cup with a local coach Patrick Odhiambo. We have Bernard Mwalala at Ulinzi Stars, a good coach, doing great things there same as Francis Kimanzi, who can work in any team and deliver results. It is unfortunate we want to invest too much money on foreign coaches and they deliver nothing.

“Just get a local coach and give him what a foreign coach gets in terms of remuneration and you will see immediate success, it is useless to hire a foreigner and then go without winning a single trophy season in and season out, I really don’t understand AFC and Gor, why they are obsessed with this mzungu coaches.”

Meanwhile, Shimanyula also believes that the debate of which is the best side between his team and rivals Leopards was been put to bed after the 2-1 victory on Saturday.

Abana ba Ingo took a huge step towards winning the domestic cup for the first time in their history after two goals in a space of two minutes gave them a 2-0 half-time lead at Nyayo Stadium.

First, it was Moses Shumah, who headed home a sumptuous cross from the left wing in the 31st minute before Kevin Amwayi drilled home the second two minutes later after leaving one Ingwe defender sprawling on the ground before smashing the ball past goalkeeper Luca Opiyo.

Though Cliff Nyakeya reduced the deficit for Ingwe in the stoppages, it was too late for the Patrick Aussems-led side to salvage something from the fixture as Homeboyz held on to carry the derby bragging rights and a ticket to the final.

Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula believes Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League outfits AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia are misusing their resources by employing services of foreign coaches to help them win local accolades.

The two Kenyan clubs are managed by foreign coaches:  Belgium’s Pattrick Aussems is in charge of Ingwe while Johnathan McKinstry from Northern Ireland is handling K’Ogalo.

While AFC Leopards will end the season without a silverware after losing to Homeboyz 2-1 in the semi-finals of the FKF Cup at the weekend, Gor Mahia are still fighting Tusker to win the Premier League title.

Shimanyula is of the opinion the two clubs should put faith in local coaches for success.

“Having a foreign coach in the Premier League is a waste of time and resources, better hire a local coach who can do the job three times better than those foreign coaches,” Shimanyula told People Daily Sports.

“At Homeboyz, I have never thought of, even a second to hire a foreign coach, for what? We have good coaches in the country who can do this job and bring success to any club.

“For example, Tusker are doing very well under Robert Matano, they are chasing for a double, is Matano a foreign coach? Look at Nzoia Sugar, they are challenging for the title under Salim Babu, is Salim [Babu] a foreign coach?

“It is the same case with Homeboyz, we are in the final of the FKF Cup with a local coach Patrick Odhiambo. We have Bernard Mwalala at Ulinzi Stars, a good coach, doing great things there same as Francis Kimanzi, who can work in any team and deliver results. It is unfortunate we want to invest too much money on foreign coaches and they deliver nothing.

“Just get a local coach and give him what a foreign coach gets in terms of remuneration and you will see immediate success, it is useless to hire a foreigner and then go without winning a single trophy season in and season out, I really don’t understand AFC and Gor, why they are obsessed with this mzungu coaches.”

Meanwhile, Shimanyula also believes that the debate of which is the best side between his team and rivals Leopards was been put to bed after the 2-1 victory on Saturday.

Abana ba Ingo took a huge step towards winning the domestic cup for the first time in their history after two goals in a space of two minutes gave them a 2-0 half-time lead at Nyayo Stadium.

First, it was Moses Shumah, who headed home a sumptuous cross from the left wing in the 31st minute before Kevin Amwayi drilled home the second two minutes later after leaving one Ingwe defender sprawling on the ground before smashing the ball past goalkeeper Luca Opiyo.

Though Cliff Nyakeya reduced the deficit for Ingwe in the stoppages, it was too late for the Patrick Aussems-led side to salvage something from the fixture as Homeboyz held on to carry the derby bragging rights and a ticket to the final.

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