AFC on the brink of total collapse

The fears that the whirlwind performance of AFC Leopards during the first leg of the KPL was not hinged on a solid foundation are slowly being confirmed if the team's humiliation in the past two matches of the second leg is anything to go by. More worrying is the fact that all the three units of the team thus, playing unit, technical bench and the management look doubtful and incapable of delivering the desired long term results for this great club with admirable history. And the real stakeholders must be truely worried of the future of the club as it enters the dreaded relegation zone in the standing. That the worst performing team in the league, Mahakama FC outplayed and outclassed Ingwe infront of its huge fanbase to walk away with a 2-1 win yesterday at City Stadium, should send shockwaves to the supporters of the club that was only two years ago rescued from the shackles of total oblivion by a visionary team led by former chairman Alex Magelo.The level of gambling with the team at this crucial stage is amazing as the tactiless, elderly and physically weak coach Makokha keeps on experimenting with green-horns in players with no proven track record. Take an example of the two strikers he fielded in the Mahakama match to replace the two congolese imports Imbem and Selenga? They (Ricky Ojanga and Alex Alako) were out of touch with the entire squad playing a spectator role instead of looking for goals.It was also not clear why the more seaoned Osama was not played in the match to stabilise the defence that kept on licking and in the process gifting Mahakama's Paul Obara with a brace in the 5th and 44th minute. Leopard's lone set-piece goal from Bernard Mangoli did little to salvage a point from the raging Mahakama who deserved to win the match with a bigger margin. No wonder that the angry fans of Ingwe were baying for the blood of the club chairman Julius Ochiel and coach Chris Makokha, demanding their immediate sacking or resignation. "These two must go now for Leopards to avoid relegation," yelled George Ambani, a dejected diehard fan who joined scores of supporters to heckle the two at the end of the match. The clueless playing unit had to be locked in the changing room for over 10 minutes under police protection to shield them from enraged fans who were threatening to disturb piece. As the dust settles after the two painful back to back loses at home to Ulinzi last week and now Mahakama, pundits are wondering aloud the motive of the management for releasing five tested players from the team to JMJ academy and the reason why no seasoned player was recruited at the just concluded transfer window. The next match on Sunday against KCB is a must win for Leopards and anything less than three points will further condemn this club to oblivion. (posted on 20/7/10 at 9am by Ingwe Reporter)