FLOPS OF 2016:Hitherto big teams now coil in submission
Football
By
Gilbert Wandera
| Nov 03, 2016
With two matches left before the season ends, Sofapaka, Bandari and AFC Leopards by no doubt stand out as the biggest flops in this year's Kenyan Premier League season.
Leopards and Bandari barely survived relegation, but Sofapaka are not safe, not yet.
Compared to their last season's performance, the three clubs have fallen big time and will need to go back to the drawing board, lest they become relegation candidates next season.
Sofapaka seem to have been the biggest flop compared to their performance last year. The team finished third last season after collecting an impressive 47 points. But this season, the former KPL champions have so far picked 22 points and can only reach a maximum of 28 points, which is a big drop compared to their tally last year.
A mass exodus of key players at the beginning of this season coupled with a biting financial crunch, may have caused trouble at the club, which has always finished within the top five since they were promoted in 2009.
READ MORE
Doctors set 90-day ultimatum for pay talks, warn of strike
Kenya, Italy adopt four-year cooperation plan after Ruto-Meloni talks
One of the key players, who left Sofapaka is Tusker's Antony Ndolo. Unable to sustain the demands of top flight football with a relatively inexperienced squad, Sofapaka were always expected to struggle, but not to a point of fighting relegation battles.
After signing a number of experienced players in the second leg of the league, the Batoto Ba Mungu seemed to find their groove back and with two matches to go, they need to fight hard and brutal.
After an impressive start in February, AFC Leopards experienced a major dip in form, which led to the sacking of coach Ivan Minnaert. Leopards finished seventh last season with 41 points. They are now 13th with 30 points and can reach a maximum of 36 points, assuming they win their two remaining matches.
On their part, Mombasa-based Bandari have also endured a tough season, despite securing big names at the start of the season. With no doubt, they will finish far from the fourth place they did last season.
Like other struggling teams in the 2016 season, Bandari have also changed coaches after Twahir Muhiddin gave way three months ago. The team is now 11th on the log with 34 points. Last season, they collected 46 points.
Muhoroni Youth are also unlikely to repeat last season's good run in the league where they finished sixth place with 44 points. The club will celebrate after they were crowned KPL Top-8 champions, but will need to work hard in their two remaining matches and improve from their current 10th spot.