Football
Kakamega Homeboyz Chairman Backs Under-Pressure Kenyatta to Deliver League Title Despite Poor Start to the Season
Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula backs coach Ken Kenyatta to turn the team’s poor start around and deliver the league title. Kenyatta remains confident despite four winless matches.
Image Credits: Nairobi Leo
Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula has reiterated support for coach Ken Kenyatta to arrest the poor start in the 2024-2025 season and deliver the first league title.
Kenyatta is under pressure to turn the club's slow start in the campaign around having failed to register a win in the four league matches played.
Homeboyz, kicked off the season with a shocking 3-0 loss at the hands of debutants Mara Sugar before labouring for a barren draw against returnees Mathare United.
The 2023 Mozzart Bet Cup winners fought from two goals down to hold Tusker to a 2-2 draw in their third encounter of the season.
Their fourth game ended in a 1-0 defeat to Kariobangi Sharks piling more pressure on Kenyatta's shoulders as well as the rest of the team.
Earlier on, there were reports that the tactician would be relieved of his duties following the poor start but his boss has assured him of job security.
KENYATTA HAS OUR SUPPORT
Despite the unwanted results, Shimanyula has jumped to the defence of Kenyatta insisting that he has a clear plan of getting the club out of the hoods and will deliver the set targets.
Homeboyz turned to the services of the former Kenyan international before the start of the term following the resignation of Patrick Odhiambo, who subsequently joined KCB.
Shimanyula termed Kenyatta an experienced tactician, who had demonstrated the ability to get positive results in his past workstations and remained hopeful of hitting the ground running soon.
He is still familiarizing himself with the Homeboyz environment and culture. It was obvious that it would take time to start getting good results. He has our support and trust to turn our run around.
Cleophas Shimanyula
WE HAVE BEEN UNLUCKY
Reacting to the dismal run bedevilling the club, Shimanyula, observed that the team was unlucky not to gather maximum points from the draws against; Tusker and Mathare United.
The administrator, who is expected to formally declare his candidature for the Football Kenya Federation top seat this weekend, said the chances created in the matches played were a sign of good things to come.
"We have been unlucky in our matches. We have been playing well and creating chances. I am confident we will catch up with the top teams on the log within a short time. Our goal remains winning the league and recapturing the Mozzart Bet Cup," added Shimanyula during the exclusive interview.
HOMEBOYZ WILL BE TOO HOT TO HANDLE AFTER FIFA BREAK
With the competition expected to take close to a three-week long break to pave the way for Harambee Stars' 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Kenyatta hopes to make good use of free time to address the team's shortcomings.
Stars will take on five-time African champions Cameroon twice in the window with the team reaping positive results, standing a good chance to seal a ticket to the 2025 finals in Morocco.
Kenyatta, a former Stars goalkeeper during his active years, intends to get the forwards firing and fix the defence that has allowed six goals in the four games played.
Homeboyz have the second-worst defence in the campaign after Mathare United, who have conceded nine goals. Tusker and Murang'a Seal have also leaked six times.
"We have not had the start we had anticipated. We would have beaten Mathare by at least four goals and would have scored six against Tusker. It shows there is some work to be done during the FIFA break. It is just a matter of time before we start getting results. I think we will be a different team after the break," said the former FC Talanta gaffer.
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