Honours: Western Stima’s Ogai beats Kimanzi to SJAK coach award for December

Western stima head coach Paul Hagai (left) is being awarded after being voted by Sports Journalists Association of Kenya as best coach of the month of December. (Collins Oduor, Standard)

Stima’s Ogai named best coach for December

Western Stima head coach Paul Ogai won the Sports Journalist Association of Kenya (SJAK)/Fidelity Insurance Coach of the Month for December after guiding the premier league returnees to three wins and a draw in the 2018-19 SportPesa Premier League.

Ogai won the award after going unbeaten in December, winning matches against Posta Rangers, Tusker, Kakamega Homeboyz and drawing against Bandari where they scored five goals against two to collect 10 points and led jointly with Mathare at the top.

Despite his Mathare counterpart Francis Kimanzi outplaying him with seven goals against one with similar wins and a draw, Ogai could still beat Kimanzi and had an upper hand as the first new manager in the premier league to produce impressive results.

“In his his first time in the premier league and showing that kind of performance made us to vote Ogai as the coach of the month against Kimanzi who also performed well,” SJAK spokesperson said.

Speaking after receiving the award at Moi Stadium in Kisumu, the coach said the recognition was a timely boost.