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NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Nairobian

Newly acquired AFC Leopards coach Tomas Trucha ready to resign over threats on his life

Football

By Rodgers Eshitemi | Dec 03, 2020

**Coach AFC Leopards Tomas Trucha during their first match round 1 of KPL League against Tusker FC at Kasarani Stadium.** [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

AFC Leopards' trend of parting ways with coaches appears to be far from over if the news coming from the den about their head coach Tomas Trucha’s resignation is anything to go by.

The Czech has reportedly tendered his resignation alleging fear for his life and external interference of his job after a section of fans accused his agent on social media of influencing the coach’s decisions.

This comes barely five days after Trucha, who joined Ingwe on a two-year deal in October, guided the club to a 2-1 win over Tusker in their opening match of the 2020/2021 FKF-Premier League season last weekend.

Even as the club’s National Executive Committee (NEC) is set to hold a press conference today, a close source to the team intimated to Standard Sports that Trucha’s deputy Anthony Kimani is set to be elevated back to the head coach role ahead of this Sunday’s match against Bidco United.

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Trucha did not show up for yesterday’s team training leaving the job to Kimani, team manager Tom Juma and goalkeeper trainer Lawrence Webo. Ingwe have so far had 14 coaches since 2012.

While the club chairman Dan Shikanda admitted that Trucha’s future in the den is uncertain, he accused a few individuals masquerading as AFC Leopards fans of destabilising the team.

“There is a serious issue with the coach (Tomas Trucha), but we shall have a press conference with him tomorrow (Thursday) for him to decide on whether he is staying or going,” said Shikanda on the sidelines of the unveiling of Betsafe sponsorship in Nairobi yesterday.

“But it is unfortunate that some people who masquerade as our fans are trying to destabilise the team. They have seen us doing well and they are not happy about it. What they are doing to the club right now is to kill it and the work NEC has done.

**AFC Leopards Goalkeeper John Oyemba and Clyde Senaji (left) are challenged by Michael Madoya and Christopher Oruchum of Tusker FC during their first match, round 1 of KPL League at Kasarani Stadium.** [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

He continued: “The coach’s agent has been threatened and the people who are doing it are also agents. We don’t know what they want and the coach is definitely not happy with what is happening. We actually talked to him yesterday (Tuesday) and he feels if his agent is not safe then his life is also not safe because it is the agent who brought him to Kenya.

“There is nothing whatsoever with the fielding of the coach. There is no way an agent can bring a coach and fail to advise him. But no one is interfering with the coach’s work. What is happening is so serious and we will not take it lightly. We shall have to report the matter to the police.”

Asked on the claims that his office inflated the transfer and sign on fees of players in the recent transfer window where they spent Sh7million Shikanda said: “I can tell you, propaganda, rumours and hearsay should not be the order of the day here. Four of us ran the for eight months last year and used Sh 55.7 million. The branches gave us Sh 600,000, so I don’t see why buying a player at Sh2m is inflating the price. For what reason can I do that?”

“If you have a problem and you think any player’s transfer fees has been exaggerated just come and tell us.”