AFC Leopards, one of Kenya’s oldest and most successful football clubs, have come under fire for their ineffective player recruitment strategy, which has been blamed for their 26-year drought in the Kenyan Premier League title race. Boniface Ambani, Mara Sugar’s Technical Bench Director and a former Harambee Stars striker, has openly criticized the club’s approach to signing new players.
Ambani, who has been vocal about the issues plaguing the club, believes that the 12-time league champions have consistently failed to secure top-quality players available in the market, which has significantly hampered their chances of winning the league title.
“One of the problems that is eating up AFC Leopards is the signings,” Ambani remarked. “When you are signing players, you need to ensure that the bench is strong. A good team must have players on the bench who are just as good as those in the starting eleven to maintain healthy competition within the squad.”
He stressed the importance of making strategic signings rather than rushing to fill positions without proper consideration. “Don’t compromise with the signings. We don’t just sign because it’s time to rush to the market and sign players. Consider, first of all, which kind of players you require.”
Ambani’s disappointment is clear as he reflects on AFC Leopards’ last league triumph in 1998. He strongly believes that had his brother, Fred Ambani, been appointed as the head coach last season, the club could have turned its fortunes around and ended the title drought.
“Fred is there now, and it’s interesting that my brother is back as the assistant coach of AFC Leopards. But now he is not the head coach. I always wish that if he was the head coach of Ingwe, then things might have been different because we believe in merit,” Ambani emphasized.
Fred Ambani currently serves as the assistant to head coach Tomas Trucha, who took over from Tom Juma in October last year. Fred is a significant figure in the club’s history, being the last AFC Leopards player to finish as the league’s top scorer during their last title-winning campaign in 1998.
Despite some improvements, AFC Leopards finished the recent season in fifth place with 51 points, a considerable 22 points behind the champions Gor Mahia. The gap between them and the league leaders underscores the need for a more robust and effective strategy in player recruitment and development.
Ambani insists that AFC Leopards must focus on signing players who can make an immediate impact and significantly contribute to the team’s success. He argues that the club’s failure to do so has been a critical factor in their prolonged period without a league title.
He also highlighted the importance of having a deep squad with quality players who can step in seamlessly when needed. “A club hires you and pays you a monthly salary, which is rightfully in your contract. The club pays you win bonuses and draw bonuses throughout the season, and it’s in your contract. The club pays for your travel and accommodation expenses throughout the season. The club pays for your medical expenses anytime you get sick or injured, and it’s stipulated in your contract. And so on,” Ambani continued.
Ambani advised the players to negotiate for prize money clauses in their contracts if they want a share of the winnings. “The only thing you need to do is ask the club to include in your contract what you will earn if the club wins the league or finishes in second or third place. If that is not stipulated in your contract, forget about the club’s end-of-season earnings. That’s how they recover their expenses on the players and the team throughout the year. It’s as simple as that,” he concluded.
A club source echoed Ambani’s sentiments, criticizing the players for their demands, which the source deemed unreasonable. “We do not understand where this notion that players have to get a share of the prize money comes from. This is the club’s revenue. Their salaries and allowances are up-to-date, and we don’t know why they would want to get every penny that comes to the club. We have other expenses to pay for, and for us, this is a case of gross misconduct and insubordination. If they do not resume duty, there will be consequences,” the source stated.
The strike comes just over a fortnight before the club’s CAF Champions League debut. They are set to play Al Merreikh Juba FC on August 16th in the first leg of the CAF CL preliminary round.
In conclusion, AFC Leopards’ transfer strategy has been a point of contention, with calls for a more thoughtful and effective approach to player signings. As the club seeks to return to its former glory, addressing these issues will be crucial. With figures like Fred Ambani back in the fold, there is hope that Ingwe can once again become a dominant force in Kenyan football
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