Former Tusker coach joins Nyangweso and Onyiso in Ulinzi Stars technical bench

By ROBIN TOSKIN

Robert Matano is back in football management, this time as Ulinzi Stars coach, three months after leaving Tusker.

In appointing Matano and Benjamin Nyangweso as his assistant and club legend Francis Onyiso as goalkeeper trainer, Ulinzi Stars chairman Lieutenant Colonel JS Mwinyikai said: “This is a team of winners. They have the pedigree to return Ulinzi Stars to where it belongs — at the top of the Kenyan football.”

Matano has won the Kenyan Premier League title twice, at Sofapaka and Tusker besides winning FA Cup twice, (Pipeline and Nairobi City Stars).

Nyangweso led Ulinzi Stars to the 2010 KPL title and the inaugural KPL Top-8 trophy in 2011, the year he guided the military men to second place in the league.

Onyiso won the KPL title in three straight years with Ulinzi in 2003-2005 and was in the squad in the 2010 success.

National team

Mwinyikai added: “Contrary to criticism from immediate former coach, there is quality in this team. The last line up he fielded had many players to have played for the national team. Besides, we still have 15 of the players that won the league in 2010. It is on record that he resigned on his own volition.”

Ahead of his unveiling, Matano declined to comment directly on Salim Ali’s comments that Ulinzi Stars lacked quality players.

“Like a doctor, you cant chose who to treat. It is up to the doctor to diagnose a patient’s ailment. What happened before does not concern me. We will concentrate on what is ahead. I know Ulinzi Stars players are professional.”

Matano also dismissed suggestions he would have the easiest time with the military men famed for their physical fitness.

Everyone must work

“I believe that everyone must work, work and work. Football is about skills, speed and power. There is no football played at walking pace or standing. If you don’t want to run the go play snooker, table tennis or ludo.

“It is that simple. But then, how come I am winning those trophies if it is not tactical. You can’t win trophies without tactics. I cannot stop people from talking. But let them also go win with physical emphasis only,” Matano dug in.

Ali resigned last week, saying he could not do much with the players he had at the club. He added lack of quality talent made it impossible to do anything further than what they achieved.