Either Ali or Manoah: AFC expected to name former Ulinzi Stars or Homeboyz tactician as an assistant coach

By GILBERT WANDERA

Salim Ali and Edward Manoah.  [PHOTOS: BONIFACE THUKU, BONIFACE OKENDO and BENJAMIN SAKWA]

AFC Leopards are expected to appoint either Salim Ali or Edward Manoah to the position of assistant coach today as they begin to assemble a new technical bench.

The two men met with the club’s top hierarchy yesterday and the appointment of either of them is expected to be finalised by today.

AFC Leopards Organising Secretary Timothy Lilumbi confirmed they  met the two and insisted it was now upto them to accept their offer.

“We met the two as an executive and gave them our terms. We have asked them to come back to us before we make a decision by Wednesday. We need to hire an assistant coach as soon as possible,” he said.

Ali also confirmed he had met top AFC Leopards officials on Tuesday and given his terms.

“We met and now have to wait and see the way forward,” he said. Whoever is appointed will take over from goalkeeper trainer Washington Muhanji until the club appoints a permanent replacement.

Poor results

Ali resigned from Ulinzi Stars three weeks ago in the wake of poor results and has been linked to a number of KPL clubs.

Apart from handling Ulinzi Stars, he has also coached Sofapaka and Mathare United and is one of the most qualified coaches in the KPL.

Manoah was head coach at former KPL side Kakamega Homeboyz last season before he resigned to take over at Vihiga All Stars.

AFC Leopards chairman Allan Kasavuli said they will appoint the head coach before the end of this week.

“We are talking to a number of coaches who have shown interest in the job and we hope to conclude the process before the end of this week,” he said.

The club has lined up two foreign tacticians –– Italian Emmauele Filippini and Bulgarian Velizar Popov –– to take over from James Nandwa.

Secretary General  George Aladwa told Goal.com last week  that one of the two coaches will be unveiled later this week to handle the club for remainder of the season.

Aladwa said the two are among many foreign coaches who had applied for the job.

“We have narrowed down the list to the aforementioned coaches. We will now meet as an Executive Committee to decide who takes over from Nandwa.

“We want to appoint a new coach as quickly as possible and next week we will have big news for you. We will definitely pick from the two. They (both coaches) have impressive CVs but the EC will have to pick one.”

amazing career

Filippini had an amazing career in Serie A with Brescia featuring in a total of 175 games and scoring six goals over the course of eight seasons.

The 41-year-old emerged through his hometown Brescia Calcio’s youth system and stayed there for eight professional seasons, after having started – on loan – with amateurs Ospitaletto.

Filippini made his Serie A debut on August 31, 1997, in a 1-2 away defeat to Inter Milan. Filippini, who retired at the age of 36, was in late January 2010 appointed as assistant coach of the Giovanissimi Nazionali youth team guided by Omar Danesi.

On the other hand, Popov has coached Sur Club (Oman), New Radiant Sports Club (Moldavia), which he helped win the league last year, FC Liberika-Horsens (Denmark) among other clubs and is a holder of the UEFA Pro Licence.

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