AFC Leopards head coach Tom Juma says he is unfazed by ballooning calls from enraged fans who want him to relinquish his position.
A furious chorus demanding Juma’s resignation hit a crescendo over the weekend after the club extended its winless streak to three matches in their game against Kenyan Premier League minnows Muhoroni Youth at Nyayo Stadium.
“The fans have a right to express their opinion. I’m okay with that,” Juma said. “A lot of people are yet to come to terms with the fact that we are still in the process of assembling a title-winning team after being locked out of the transfer market by Fifa for two seasons.”
Juma called for patience even as the club gropes for the elusive remedy to cure their two-decade titleless streak.
“It is true we have gone without silverware for quite sometime now. But people should learn to exercise patience. This is only our third game and we are doing everything in our power to register positive results in our upcoming matches.”
The club’s National Executive Committee, in a statement on Wednesday, asserted their support for the beleaguered tactician.
“The management of the club is pleased to announce its unwavering confidence in the leadership of the technical bench, headed by Tom Juma. The club remains committed to achieving its aspirations and we are confident the technical bench is well-equipped to guide us toward victory,” the statement read in part.
“Tom Juma and his team have been working tirelessly to prepare the squad for success this season. Their dedication and expertise are instrumental in achieving our goals and we anticipate excellent results in the matches to come.
“We call upon our dedicated fans to remain optimistic and continue to support the team passionately,” the statement concluded.
Club chairman Dan Shikanda also jumped into Juma’s defence, saying: “He has been around for long enough and even guided the team in some matches when (Patrick) Aussems was away. He understands his job well.”
Juma succeeded Belgian Patrick Aussems, who packed his belongings after the preceding season. Ingwe play Kenya Police on Saturday. Leopards' last title was in 1998 and have only managed to lift the FKF Cup twice since, in 2013 and 2017.
