Nairobi News

SportsWhat's Hot

Leopards coach rules out return of club’s ex-players


AFC Leopards coach Ivan Minnaert has ruled out bringing back former club players during the mid-season transfer window in June.

Speaking exclusively to Nairobi News ahead of his team’s league weekend match against Sofapaka, the Belgian coach instead said he is keen of building a youthful side.

“We are focusing on (bringing in) young players with one to three years’ experience in the KPL. I will bring in two or three foreigners whom I have worked with before. They have experience in CAF competitions and I’m certain they will bring something extra to the team,” Minnaert said.

These sentiments more or less locks out the likes of Paul Were, Jackson Saleh, Edwin Wafula and Mussa Mudde, who have been rumoured to be keen on returning to the den, in the wake of the club’s newly found financial stability.

FIRST DEFEAT

It is reported that Leopards, who jointly top KPL standings with Tusker and Mathare United on 14 points, have set aside Sh6 million to bolster the squad, as the club seeks to win the league title for the first time in more than a decade.

At the same time, Minnaert says he has been working on rectifying mistakes that saw the team conceding defeat for the first time this season at the hands of City Stars last Sunday.

“This week we have worked on what we lacked in the last game, which is finishing and set pieces. The players have improved a lot and I hope this translates to a return to winning ways,” he said.

Leopards will be looking to pile misery on Sofapaka, who have won only one match in seven outings and lie bottom of the log with 3 points.