- Shikanda asked Ingwe fans to spare Opiyo the flak, noting that the goalkeeper had already suffered enough psychological damage.
- Shikanda said the ballooning uproar had destabilised the club and only served to make it difficult for the coaches to select a team for Sunday's FKF Cup quarter final tie
Image: FILE
AFC Leopards honcho Dan Shikanda has jumped to the defense of beleaguered custodian Levis Opiyo who has been turned into a punching bag following a costly blunder he committed during the Mashemeji derby.
The goalkeeper has come under heavy fire, with fans alleging that he willingly conceded a goal to hand his former club Gor Mahia victory on a silver platter.
Opiyo found himself on the receiving end after K'Ogalo's enterprising midfielder Austin Odhiambo dispossessed him and poked the ball into the back of the net as he fumbled with a clearance in the six-yard area.
But in an exclusive interview on Thursday, Shikanda asked Ingwe fans to spare Opiyo the flak, noting that the goalkeeper had already suffered enough psychological damage.
"I've spoken to Opiyo and he feels really bad about the whole incident. I don't think it would be wise to continue ridiculing him any further. It's not good for his mental health," Shikanda stated.
Shikanda chided the fans for turning a blind eye to Opiyo's past masterclass acts in the Mashemeji Derby.
"How come nobody commended him when he pulled some impressive saves during our game against Gor Mahia last year in which Maxwell Otieno also scored for us?"
Shikanda said the ballooning uproar had destabilised the club and only served to make it difficult for the coaches to select a team for Sunday's FKF Cup quarter final tie against Division One side Compel FC at Dandora stadium.
"Members of the technical bench are now in a dilemma unsure whether or not to pick Opiyo as the first-choice goalkeeper for our match against Compel on Sunday," Shikanda remarked.
"We need to tone down a bit and allow the officials and coaches time and space to do their work without undue interference," he added.
Shikanda also refuted claims that he has a soft spot for Gor Mahia, a club he featured for during his heydays as a football luminary.
He was responding to allegations made by a section of AFC Leopards fans that he is a Gor Mahia mole in the den.
"Calling me a sell-out is total hogwash. It's true I once turned out for Gor but it is absurd to even imagine that I can go as far as helping them to defeat Leopards in the Mashemeji derby," Shikanda stated.
The seasoned administrator appealed to the fans to exercise patience as the management continues to roll out plans to enhance the status of the club.
"We have some good intentions and brilliant plans for the club but it would be difficult for us to achieve anything if we don't get the necessary support we deserve," Shikanda stated.