Leopards assistant coach Tom Juma has urged their fans to stop putting the young team under the pump because they still have a lot to learn.
In an exclusive interview, Juma said they are looking forward to a wonderful season but asked the fans who are thirsty for a title to lower their expectations.
The last time Leopards won the Kenyan Premier League title was in 1998 and the fans are now impatient.
“Of course, AFC Leopards fans always put us under the pump even during friendly matches. As coaches, we are not feeling any pressure to deliver the title.”
“However, I wouldn't consider it wise to put pressure on the players to perform because that is likely to bring a backlash. Most of our squad members are still young and wouldn't be able to cope with such pressure.”
Juma said he is aware that fans' expectations may have increased due to the arrival of a new shirt sponsor, Betika, who contributed Sh198 million to their account. He, however, asked them to keep their expectations realistic.
“Football is a tricky affair where anything is bound to happen unexpectedly. For instance, we all expected Kakamega Homeboyz to win last season because they had already opened a 12-point gap between them and their closest competitors. But we all saw what happened."
Juma said the club has been barred from gracing the transfer market and acquiring quality players due to the ongoing ban imposed by the world football governing body, Fifa.
“We are looking forward to a good season because we most definitely have better depth compared to last season,” he said.
He expressed optimism that they would be able to constitute their wish squad in the new year after the ban expires. “Our ban ends in January and we hope to beef up our squad. But until then we are confident of a good performance this season.”
The seasoned tactician said they were tired of being kept waiting for long and hoped that all would go according to plans put in place by the newly-appointed Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba.
“We've been preparing for such a long time that we have even gotten tired of waiting now. All we are hoping for is for the league to start," Namwamba said.
Football stakeholders in the country breathed a sigh of relief after Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba restored the National Executive Committee of the Kenya Football Federation (FKF) and its secretariat.
Namwamba's decision came just a day after the Minister met with senior officials of Kenyan Premier League clubs at the Kenya National Library Service in Nairobi where his offices are located.
Addressing the media, Namwamba related his decision to the demands previously issued by the world football federation, Fifa.
