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With the exception of centre back Teddy Esilaba, Leopards have a fully-fit squad available for the season-run in
AFC Leopards head coach Patrick Aussems looks like a man reborn. For the first time in a while, he has almost every player available for selection ahead of the FKF Cup semi-final clash against Kakamega Homeboyz.
The Belgian tactician who has created a reputation for occasionally being confrontational with the media and fellow tacticians when things are not plain sailing seems satisfied with the way things currently are at his club.
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08:18 - 17.05.2023
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He also called upon the government and private sector to come on board and help support his initiative.
Leopards have had to play a lot of games without their key players for much of the season, which has affected the way he ideally wants to set up the team.
After finally managing to get Gor Mahia’s head back to the den for the first time in seven years, he was friendly and even shook hands with almost all journalists in the press room and cracked jokes before being quizzed.
In the build up to the derby, Aussems insisted that a win would have been ‘a bonus’ as they prepared for ‘the most important game’ which was Homeboyz.
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07:51 - 17.05.2023
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“We have been working on preparing for the semi-final (against Kakamega Homeboyz) for three weeks now. We played Nzoia one week ago and we beat them – we played Gor Mahia and we beat them as well– it means now that we have a lot of confidence,” Aussems said.
The former Simba SC tactician is usually evasive whenever quizzed about individual performances, but he was particularly quick to praise Musa Oundo, who bossed the Leopards midfield with his ball-winning capabilities which gave both Eugene Mukangula and Moses Lukhumwa the platform to set the tempo of the midfield.
“I do not like to talk about individual performances but I hope that the national team coach was here and hope he saw some players that impressed him today.”
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15:30 - 17.05.2023
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Odhiambo returned from a grueling injury to help Leopards beat Gor Mahia for the first time in seven years.
Ausems also insists that squad depth will enhance competition for places, thus harnessing good results.
“Success is not about improvisation but about planification. Against Ulinzi and Nzoia, I made different changes to the side.
“I made different changes and different animations and I wanted today to give both Lewis Bandi and Kayici Odhiambo at least 45-60 minutes because they need match fitness.”
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12:44 - 17.05.2023
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The football administrator says Ingwe will suffer big time in front of their fans on Saturday.
“Ojo (Olaniyi) and Brian (Wanyama) were suspended for the game but will be available on Saturday. Save for Teddy (Esilaba), everyone else should be available.
“I am happy my players gave me some trouble (in terms of selection in future). I wanted that. I told them ‘please guys, don’t make my job easy–put trouble in my mind to see which lineup I will have to start on Saturday’ and they did it."
Leopards will play Kakamega Homeboyz in the much-anticipated Ingo Derby on Sunday in the FKF Cup semi-final.
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