KCB's Felix Ojow (R) tries to go past Kisumu RFC players in a past match/ANGWENYI GICHANAStruggling
Kenya Cup side Kisumu RFC have named Fredrick Maube as their interim head coach
following the departure of Howard Okwemba.
The club’s secretary, Robert Wechesi, confirmed they parted ways with Okwemba following the team’s poor performance in the Kenya Cup this season.
It will be Maube’s second stint at the club, having saved the club from the drop in 2014. Wechesi said the rest of the technical bench will remain the same, but hinted that changes will be made at the end of the season.
“We have
appointed Maube to steady the sheep until the end of the season. The club’s
executive committee was dissatisfied with the team’s performance under Okwemba,
which is why we decided to part ways with him,” said Wechesi.
Maube will
oversee Kisumu in their next match against Strathmore University Leos on February 21 before guiding the team in their subsequent matches against Kenyatta University’s Blak Blad, Nakuru RFC, and Kenya Harlequins.
On Friday,
Wechesi was confident that the team would maintain their Kenya Cup Status. “Out
of the four remaining games, our target is to win all of them and retain Kenya
Cup status for the third consecutive year,” noted Wechesi
“We have
two weeks before we play our next game. This will give the new coach adequate
time to prepare the team before we take on Strathmore Leos. Maube understands
this team’s weaknesses, including fitness levels that we believe he will address,”
remarked Wechesi.
Kisumu is
bottom of the table with six points from seven games, one less than fellow
strugglers Nakuru RFC. MMUST is just above the relegation zone with nine points, but the students have played two games fewer than the rest of the teams.
The Bravehearts
have only won one game following their comeback 29-22 win over Impala at Jomo
Kenyatta Stadium on January 24.
Last
weekend, they lost 25-12 against Masinde Murilo University of Science and
Technology (MMUST) in Kakamega. The game sealed Okwemba’s fate.
