News

Leopards coach Patrick Aussems say Ingwe have mountain to climb

Tuesday, December 21st, 2021 00:00 | By
AFC Leopards coach Patrick Aussems with striker Asaad Musa. PHOTO/David Ndolo
Patrick Aussems with Saad Musa. PHOTO/David Ndolo

AFC Leopards coach Patrick Aussems now says it will take a miracle to revive the dwindling fortunes of the club this season.

The former Simba FC coach said the management ought to go an extra mile to recruit experienced players if the club is to return where it belongs.

Aussiems made the remarks at a time Ingwe is serving an embargo from world football governing body, Fifa, not to recruit players over failure to pay former player Vincent Habamahoro.  

AFC Leopards have been banned from signing players for two transfer windows after failing to settle Habamahoro’s dues, totalling Sh1.8 million.

“There are no two ways about. Sign quality players or forget winning the KPL title,” said Aussems.

The 13-time Kenyan Premier League champions, who have largely been using players sourced from the junior side, had initially been handed a 45-day ultimatum to settle the dues owed to Habamahoro.

Effect ban

To add salt into injury, Leopards were also ordered by Fifa to remit the dues owed to former coach Cassa Mbungo which is in millions of shillings with the club chair Dan Shikanda, saying they have fully complied to the detriment of their activities.

“The large chunk went into paying Mbungo and I must say this is why we have been begging.

As a big club we have no choice but to make do with the players at our disposal,” said Shikanda.

Due to several reminders which Habamahoro had sent to Leopards regarding his payment, the Rwandese national petitioned Fifa which then wrote to Ingwe to effect the ban.

Meanwhile, several FKF Premier League teams have vilified the football caretaker committee over the alleged ad hoc manner in the governance of the game in the country.

Some of the clubs said that the league is mired by confusion emanating from the committee’s failure to get past records from Football Kenya Federation which has since been dissolved.

More on News


ADVERTISEMENT