Sofapaka President Elly Kalekwa.[Photo/Nation]
Kenyan Premier League side Sofapaka head coach Sam Ssimbwa has sounded the war drums ahead of the 2018 league campaign which kicks off on Saturday.
The Ugandan trainer made this affirmation while reacting to a rallying call made by the club owner Elly Kalekwa at their Eastleigh High School training base in Nairobi on Thursday.
As he addressed the team of 12 new players at a function attended by Betika’s marketing manager Patricia Wachira, the football-mad Kalekwa told Ssimbwa that he’d have no excuses to advance in the event he failed to bring down reigning Gor Mahia this season.
Ssimbwa the former coach at Uganda’s KCCA and Rwanda’s Atraco, responded: “It’s important to believe we can win the championship this year mainly owing to our performances last year and also considering we have done it before.”“Looking at this squad, I cannot think of what will stop us from winning this war.”
Ssimbwa noted that all the new players are up for selection ahead of the league opener against Bandari in Narok on Sunday.
The signings are three proven goal scorers namely, Stephen Waruru, Kepha Aswani and Kevin Kimani. Aswani, who joins from Nakumatt, and Waruru, who quit Ulinzi Stars having resigned from the Kenya Defence Forces to pursue a professional football career, scored 23 league goals between them last season.
The duo is Kimani who was voted the best player in the Kenya Premier League in 2011.Other new players joining the club are Burundian left back Moussa Omar, Kakamega High School alumnus Patterson ‘Mariga’ Ogondi, Elly Asieche, Teddy Osok and Samson Eshikumo.Asieche re-joins the side from Kariobangi Sharks while Kimani is back in the country after a pro stint in the Middle East.
Club finished second in the league last season with 55 points, 19 behind winners Gor Mahia.
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