Newly-appointed Ushuru coach James ‘Odijo’ Omondi has set his sights on guiding the club to automatic promotion to the Kenyan Premier League after spending the last three years in the National Super League.
Omondi, who served as Ken Kenyatta’s assistant last season was elevated to the rank of interim coach after the latter was shown the door and the former Muhoroni Youth coach is keen to spearhead their return to the top flight.
Ushuru have had a sniff at promotion in the last three years but a lethargic finish in the final rounds have been their major undoing prompting the management of the club to ring changes on the technical bench.
Long-serving Kenyatta was on the receiving end as he was replaced by his assistant, who has vowed to perfect their promotion course.
The taxmen have in the past been accused of being content with life in the second tier despite their deep pockets, which has seen them lure quality players. The club fell off the elite’s in 2016 and have had a so near yet so far situation under Kenyatta.
Omondi, who won the KPL top eight tournament with Muhoroni in 2016 was confirmed as the new coach at the start of the week and is confident that with proper pre-season the team will achieve their goals.
“Even though I have been appointed as the interim coach I am focused on preparing the team towards automatic promotion at the end of the forthcoming season. The club has plied its trade in the second tier for quite enough and time is ripe for us to return to the top league,” said Omondi. “We began our pre-season on Monday and I am keen on rectifying the costly mistakes we have been committing in the tail end of each season.”
“I have noted that the team starts well but blows up everything in the final round and we have to work on that.”
He added: “I know there is tough competition in the second tier but for the record, I did well with Muhoroni Youth, whom I guided from the lower leagues to the KPL and I am looking to replicate the same here.”
The former FC Talanta assistant coach revealed his plan of signing two players to beef his current squad which finished fourth last season.
“The team is still intact and with the quality I have, I think we will earn promotion. I just want to bring two players to stabilise a few areas. We will unveil them anytime since negotiations are over. I also want to change the mentality of the players which is part of the promotion demands.”
