Chemelil Sugar head coach Charles Odera has lamented on the low turn out of players from the festive break ahead of their weekend match against Tusker at Muhoroni Stadium.
Chemelil are still looking for their first win of the season but Odera has regretted the quorum hitch in training in the last four days.
Odera revealed that close to nine players had not resumed training after the Christmas break citing financial constraints and their availability ahead of the crucial encounter remains uncertain.
The sugarmen, who are a walkover away from relinquishing their top-flight status, have had a rough patch recently which saw head coach Francis Baraza relocate to Tanazia with Biashara United.
Worse still, players and members of the technical bench have gone for months without pay.
Besides a large chunk of players skipping training, the former club defender disclosed that three players had handed in transfer requests thickening their chances of chalking up a result against the visiting 11-times national champions.
"The new year is not a happy one for us. We have trained in the last four days without nine players key. We handed them a breather but they do not have money to travel back," regretted Odera.
"I cannot blame them or accuse them of lack of discipline. I am not sure if they will make it for the match. Three players have also requested to be released."
He, however, exuded confidence that the storm will soon be over once the sugar company resumes its milling activities.
"There are signs that the company will start milling this year and that will be the turning point. The management has been supportive and we are sure once they resume operations they will bankroll us as usual and we will be able to get positive results and eventually evade the axe," he observed.
Meanwhile, Odera said that the decision to take their home matches to Muhoroni rather than the Chemelil Sports Complex is paying dividends. He is also ready to bring in new players should there be another massive exodus in the transfer window.
"At Chemelil we were getting nothing from gate collections but at Muhoroni, we are getting something to hire ambulances and cater for security needs," he said.
