Coach Aussems fears more trouble if Leopards fail to recruit

AFC Leopards head coach Patrick Aussems fears Leopards could take a deep nosedive this season if the club fails to add some depth and experience to his youthful side.

Leopards have been hit by some big name exits that have left behind a lean squad and Aussems feels the true extent of the damage suffered will be felt towards the mid-season.

Ingwe, who lost 1-0 to Gor Mahia FC during yesterday’s Mashemeji derby, lost 15 players due to contract issues and have largely replaced them by digging into their academy.

“I hoped that sometimes we would be able to score with our midfielders or something like that. That said, if in the next nine days we don’t have a new striker then it will be a nightmare because we need someone to put the ball in to the net.

“You know we are doing very well in almost every department but after that we fall short of a striker because what can I do? The only solution now is to be allowed to sign one or two strikers because this team deserves to have someone in front who is able to utilize the opportunities,” Aussems said.

Aussems blamed their loss to their inability to thwart Gor’s long balls tactics and said they could have salvaged at least a point if they finished their own chances.

“I think we only had one team on the pitch today because since I came to Kenya, I think this is the first team I have seen a team (Gor Mahia) very scared of AFC Leopards like that because they’ve got tall defenders who were kicking long balls out and everything while we were playing football,” the Belgian tactician added.

After their first defeat of the season in three outings, Ingwe dropped to eighth on four points while K’Ogalo climbed up to fifth on six points with a game in hand.

They next travel to Mombasa to play Bandari FC at Mbaraki Sports Club.