Former international defender Anthony Kimani has been appointed assistant coach of struggling Kenyan football giants AFC Leopards.
The club confirmed yesterday that Kimani, who played for the club for two years before a career-ending knee injury, will deputise Andre Casa Mbugo as th12-time league winners continue to strive to avert relegation.
“AFC Leopards SC are delighted to announce the appointment of Anthony Kimani as the new club assistant coach. The former AFC Leopards and Kenya captain has signed a two-year deal with the club and begins duties immediately,” read part of a post from the club.
The return to the Den of the retired Harambee Stars defender will boost Ingwe’s prospects of getting out of the drop zone.
“I am delighted and humbled that the club has entrusted me with such an important responsibility. All I can do is work with coach (Andre) and the rest of the technical staff and officials to bring the best out of the players and help the club get results and live up to their reputation and make our fans happy,” said Kimani.
Though relatively inexperienced in the dug-out, Kimani’s personality will go a long way in galvanising the relationship between the playing unit and the technical bench. The soft-spoken defender is wise beyond his 36 years and is known to get along with almost everybody. At a time when the talented Ingwe squad needs a motivator, there is little doubt that ‘Modo’ is the right man.
The defender helped Leopards win the 2013 GOtv Shield and also having skippered Mathare United to their only top-flight league title in 2008 his winning mentality will be required in the final ten weeks of the 2019 season. His first match in the dugout will be in the tricky encounter with Western Stima.
