National Super League side FC Talanta will be coach-less when they face Zetech University Titans in the Betway Shield Cup Round of 32 this weekend.
This is after the two-month probation period for the duo of Ken Kenyatta and George Owoko, who served as the head and assistant coaches respectively expired on Friday.
The club confirmed that long-serving skipper and creative midfielder Patrick Muchiri will take charge against the Titans, where they will be seeking to advance to the Round of 16
A senior official at the club who did not want to be mentioned for fear of reprisals revealed that the two tacticians were asked to step aside after their probation period and further disclosed that the club will hire a new coach next week.
The official could not hide his frustration with the club's performance under the two, who took over in December last year after Abdallah Juma threw in the towel.
"Their probation period expired on Friday and we requested them to stay away from the team. Whether the two will be hired on a permanent basis is a decision to be made by the board in the course of next week," said the official
Muchiri, a St Anthony's Boys Kitale alumnus took his teammates through the drills on Friday morning and was hopeful of defying his coaching inexperience to guide the club to the tournament's next round.
"It's a tough challenge for me to assume touchline duties but I will give my best. The players responded well in training on Friday and I hope I we will win," he said.
Meanwhile, Kenyatta denied accusations that he and Owoko never had a cordial working relationship and promised to give a detailed report of his short stint at the club on Monday.
"I enjoyed a good working relationship with the rest of the technical bench and the players. I have just left the club and I feel time is not ripe to discuss more," said the veteran coach.
