The former head coach of AFC Leopards, Tom Juma, has voiced his criticism towards Ingwe and Gor Mahia for their consistent preference of foreign coaches over local ones.
Juma departed from AFC Leopards in October due to a lackluster start to the season, during which they failed to secure a victory in their first six matches. He was subsequently replaced by Czech national Tomas Trucha.
The former player of Leopards had initially served as an assistant to Patrick Aussems and took over as head coach when the Belgian tactician resigned in July. Juma believes that his departure was not solely due to the team’s performance but was also influenced by certain internal factors that favored the hiring of a foreign coach.
Juma stated, “Blaming the fans can only go so far, but there are underlying issues. Even now, after my departure, their performance has not improved, yet everything appears to be fine.”
“We have become accustomed to foreign coaches, thinking they are the only ones capable of steering us out of difficulties or winning league titles. This perception is deeply ingrained in the minds of both AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia fans, leading to a situation where appointing a local coach and facing challenges, as we did, can be viewed as a fatal decision.”
Over the past years, both Leopards and Gor Mahia have seen a substantial influx of foreign coaches. Since 2012, AFC Leopards has only had Tom Juma, Anthony Kimani, and Robert Matano as local tacticians among the 18 coaches hired during this period. Meanwhile, Gor Mahia has employed four local coaches and 11 foreign coaches since 2010. Unlike AFC Leopards, Gor Mahia’s foreign coaches have generally delivered positive results.
Scottish coach Bobby Williamson ended Gor Mahia’s 18-year title drought in 2013, followed by compatriot Frank Nuttal, who led the team to league victories in 2014 and 2015. Englishman Dylan Kerr secured KPL crowns for Gor Mahia in 2017 and 2018, and Turkish tactician Hasan Oktay claimed the 2019 title before handing over the reins to Finnish coach Steven Pollack. Pollack guided the team through the Covid-19-disrupted 2019-20 season, which ended prematurely with Gor Mahia being crowned champions.
The current coach, Johnathan McKinstry from Northern Ireland, arrived last year and guided Gor Mahia to their record-extending 20th league title in the 2022-23 season.
In contrast, AFC Leopards has faced disappointment over the years, struggling to mount a significant title challenge. Their last major trophy, the FKF Cup, was won in 2017 under the leadership of Robert Matano.
