AFC Leopards coach Aussems expected on Thursday

AFC Leopards head coach Patrick Aussems is expected to touch down at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Thursday, to take charge of the team ahead of the 2022/2023 season, Secretary General Gilbert Andugu has said.

The Belgian-born tactician who lives in France with his family was expected to link up with the team by August 12 but instead requested the club to change his travel dates.

According to Andugu, the delay was occasioned by the just concluded general elections, as the coach was ‘monitoring the situation’.

 “The coach will be in the country on Thursday which shall be 25^th (August). We had to make changes on his arrival date because he requested us on grounds that the country is in an election process which made him elect to have his travel date pushed back,”said Andugu.

Leopards have intensified their pre-season training in Nairobi with assistant coach Tom Juma taking charge of the process, assisted by goalkeepers’ coach Lawrence Webo and team manager Albert Wesonga.

“We are going on with our pre-season and we have so far focused on the gym to check on the players’ physical fitness and also we have trained on the pitch,” he said.

“We have played first friendly match and won 3-0 against K Sports FC on Saturday and we are also expecting to play two friendlies before the end of the week.

We are awaiting confirmation from Posta Rangers and Murang’a Seal so as to have friendly matches with them on Saturday and Sunday,” concluded Andugu.

Leopards have been busy in the market tying down senior players to new contracts, most of them having run down their deals.

 Some of the players that Ingwe have extended their contracts are; assistant captain Peter Thiong’o, speedy winger Cliff Nyakeya, Jaffery Owiti, goalkeeper Levis Opiyo and left back Washington Munene among others.