Plotting assault on Africa: Gor and AFC ready for continental assignment

By Gilbert Wandera

AFC Leopards coach James Nandwa (right) and his Gor Mahia counterpart, Bob Williamson. [PHOTOS: JONAH ONYANGO and BONIFACE OKENDO / STANDARD]

Coaches handling Kenyan clubs that will take part in next year’s continental matches have said good preparations are key to their good performance.

Speaking a day after being handed first round opponents by the Confederations of African Football (CAF), the tacticians said they expect a tough continental fixture.

Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions Gor Mahia will take on US Bitam of Gabon in the preliminary round of CAF Champions League while GOtv winners AFC Leopards will face Defence of Ethiopia in the Confederation Cup.

AFC Leopards coach James Nandwa said he holds great respect for their first round opponents and insists that they will have to embark on good preparations.

Nandwa said it is the reason he has signed experienced players, a move for which some have criticised the club. Among the players Nandwa has brought on board is veteran defender James Situma, formerly at Sofapaka, Joseph Shikokoti from Tusker and Musa Mudde, who was at Tanzanian giants Sports Simba.

“This is a tough competition and it is the reason we have signed experienced players because we believe they can help us do well at this level.

“If we had not qualified for continental football then probably we would have focused on young and up-coming players, but as it is, we want to make an impact and therefore need the kind of squad that can help us do this,” said Nandwa.

He added: “We respect Defence of Ethiopia because by virtue of finishing second in their league, it shows that they are no push-overs and we cannot afford to underrate them.

“We must also look beyond them and into the next round of the competition meaning that we need very good preparations.”

His Gor counterpart Bobby Williamson said while he does not know much about their preliminary group opponents, he believes the team has to work hard to make it to the next round.

“It really does not matter whom we have been drawn with, the fact that they won their local league makes them tough opposition and we must get down to hard work so that we can do well in this competition,” said Williamson.

A total of 52 clubs will be involved in the preliminary round of the Champions League tournament.

After the preliminaries, they will be joined by holders Al Ahly (Egypt), Coton Sport (Cameroon), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Hilal (Sudan), CS Sfaxien (Tunisia) and Esperance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia) in the second round.

If Gor gets past the preliminary round, they will face Esperance Sportive de Tunis from Tunisia while AFC Leopards will play either South Africa’s Supersport or Gaborone of Botswana if they make it past the first stage.

Gor Mahia will host the first leg of their preliminary match on the weekend of February 7-9 in Nairobi.

AFC Leopards will also be at home on the same weekend.