Nairobi Stima coach George Owoko has urged his star striker Dennis Oalo to remain focused in a bid to help the team win promotion even as he remains in the hunt for the ‘Golden Boot’ award.
Oalo leads the FKF Super league goal-scoring chart with 14 goals to his name—one ahead of Fortuna Sacco’s Stephen Onyango who has 13.
Ushuru’s Brian Yakhama and David Oluoch of Kenya Police have 12 goals apiece but the coach was quick to wave the mounting pressure on his prolific goal poacher.
He said: “Being in the race to win the Golden Boot comes with a bit of pressure for sure and as a team, we are united behind him and ready to help him realise his dream. However, I have told him to play with a relaxed mind and use the three qualities of a striker that is—score goals, make assists and cause goals.”
“He has to play humble and put more effort since the team comes first. For him to be top scorer, the team must win and goals have to be scored but sometimes it is difficult. He is lucky to have players who complement him when he doesn’t score.”
“I know in his mind, he might be feeling disrupted by the fact that he did not score last time out but that should not disturb him. He has to remain sober-minded and help the team as we enter the most crucial part of the season where our performance will be judged at the end.”
The coach’s outcry comes as the power men prepare to face relegation-threatened Kangemi All-Stars tomorrow but believes hard work must continue if they have to go on and make it over the line.
He said: “Our spirit of hard work is what has enabled us to wither the storm from the first fixture and that has to continue. We have to maintain our philosophy and make every blade of grass feel the ball. We won't underrate Kangemi and we are going for three points. Anything short of a win will be an under-achievement.”
Stima are third in the log with 64 points as Wazito and Kisumu All Stars occupy the first two slots with 66 and 65 points respectively with six games to go.
