League uncertainty affecting coaches plans, warns Matano

The confusion surrounding the conclusion of the 2019/20 Kenyan Premier League season has left coaches in uncertainty pertaining to players transfers.

Such is Tusker FC’s Robert Matano, who says coaches cannot monitor players effectively hence affecting clubs’ plans for next season, on who to sign and release.

“How do you plan for the future when things are dead? How can you identify players’ abilities when the league ended with 11 games to go? How do you even  start dropping players when you have no replacement for them? It’s very difficult to operate right now,” complained Matano.

Tusker were third on the log with 46 points from 22 games by the time FKF declared Gor Mahia the champions, on April 30, a decision that is being challenged by the KPL Limited at the Sports Disputes Tribunal.

“Unless you are aware when the season will start, the players you will drop, and who you will need in your squad for the next season,  that’s the only way you can plan for the future so as it stands it’s very difficult not only for Tusker FC but also to all the clubs in league,” added the veteran tactician.

His sentiments were echoed by Gor Mahia head coach Steve Pollack who urged Football Kenya Federation and the Kenya Premier League officials to firm up a decision on the future of the league by either crowning his side as champs or resume the competition.

“This (confusion) has been going on for the last three months, I don’t know why they have to wait until 30th June, it’s important for them to have a plan in place to avoid the anxiety,”Pollack asserted.

On Thursday Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards secured new shirt  sponsors, and though the financial details have not been made public, its believed that Gor Mahia will pocket Sh55 million annually while Leopards will contend with Sh45 million over the next three seasons.

Despite that Pollack reckons there will be minimum changes in his squad ahead of the new season as the club embarks on contract talks with players whose deals are soon coming to an end.

“You cannot build a team by making too many changes, the main aim is to keep our best players whose contracts are coming to an end as try to see which departments we can strengthen,” Pollack told Citizen Digital.