Leopards set to name KPL U19 squad, its coach

AFC Leopards co-chairman, Dan Mule, has said they are set to name their squad for the Kenyan Premier League Under-19 tournament after they appoint a coach, with three candidates identified for the job.

“We are meeting today (Monday) as a committee to discuss about the coach who will manage the under-19 squad, since the head coach will only oversee him. After that, we will openly go for recruitment,” says Mule.

Ingwe are set to name the Under-19 tactician later Tuesday after completing the process of interviewing and vetting the candidates.

The local titans unveiled Belgium national, Jacky Ivan Minnaert as their new head coach in a booming statement of their intent to wrestle the SportPesa Premier League (SPL) title from archrivals and title holders, Gor Mahia, whom they downed 1-0 on Sunday

The SPL leaders are keen on choosing the best players in a countrywide recruitment exercise including Mombasa, Western and Eastern regions as well as some of the best schools in Kenya.

Mule last week announced that they are going to select a squad for the KPL under-19 tournament starting this week and the under-14 squad next month during the unveiling of their official sponsorship with SportPesa last Wednesday.

The co-chair also confirmed they need 40 players who will be offered training at Nairobi’s Railway Training Institute.

“Most of them will be coming for training during the holidays especially those who are out of Nairobi. Those who are within will be offered training on weekend,” he explained.

Early this year, Leopards listed five new objectives for 2016 that includes having vibrant youth sides after struggling through last season where they slumped to seventh having chased Gor all the way in 2014 before finishing second in the domestic top flight.

Report by Mercy Rop