League stalemate affecting preparations - Kimanzi

Coach Mathare United FC Francis Kimanzi and assistant Coach Salim Ali Mathare United celebrate a goal against Tusker FC during Sportpesa Premier League at Kenyatta stadium in Machakos on thursday, April 28. 2016.[ PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO]

Mathare United coach Francis Kimanzi has said that the uncertainity over the Kenyan Premier League kick off is affecting their preparations.

Kimanzi now wants both Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and Kenyan Premier League (KPL) to organise a tournament to keep the teams busy as they wait for the league to kick off.

“We started training in the second week of December and we were expecting that by now the season will be running smoothly. Now we are training and waiting and this is having an effect on the players.

“I wish we can, in the meantime have a tournament on-going to keep the players sharp as the policy issues are sorted by both bodies,” he said.

Kimanzi was speaking at Goan Institute when the club receiving sporting equipment from their sponsors Betway.

The coach also admitted that the departure of a good number of their key players has forced him to scale down their ambitions this season.

United lost more than ten first team players in the just concluded transfer window when it looked like they would build on their 2016 performance to do well this year.

He is however delighted that the players managed to leave and create space for new talent. “Some of the players had stayed with us for close to three years and it was therefore important that we don't stand in their way when they got opportunities elsewhere. The only down side is the fact that the club was not able to make money by selling them.”

He added:”In future, perhaps we should be keen to make business from selling our players after contributing to their development which raises their value. We have signed some new faces and we hope they will reach where we want them to in the next two years. .”