Play for your careers, Babu tells his deflated Western Stima players

Western Stima coach Salim Babu has implored his charges to play their hearts out after it emerged that their main sponsors, the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) had withdrawn their financial support for the club.

The move by the power company to pull the plug on the sponsorship has left the side in financial limbo with the effects already being felt after club chairman Laban Jobita confirmed the release of three injured players from their contracts noting that it is a “cost-cutting measure”.

Babu was speaking after his side picked a point in their goalless draw against Kariobangi Sharks.

“I believe that as a player even if the team goes up in the air it’s up to you to market yourself, so the players must be self-motivated and know that this is their work and their future so they must look forward.

“If they start being derailed by such setbacks as the ones we are going through now, then they won’t do well,” he advised in the wake of the 1-1 draw at the Moi Stadium in Kisumu.

The current quagmire calls for safe handling and Babu is playing it cool. “My message is always simple and clear; we can win if we work well.”

Currently having teenage prodigy Benson Omala within their ranks, Babu believes the 17-year-Form Four student at Kisumu Day is a marked man, going by how he was shut out by the Sharks defenders in the Saturday clash. Omala has so far found the back of the next seven times this term.

“At the moment any team that plays us tries to see who Omala is so it’s not easy for him to get any scoring chance. However, it gives us an opportunity to score because he is constantly marked by more than one opponent leaving spaces for his teammates to exploit.

Currently sitting seventh on the log, Stima will be hoping for respite when they come up against the defending champions Gor Mahia in their next outing.

“Gor Mahia will underrate us because we drew with them a while back but our fans should be hopeful because we have young players who are hungry for success.”