Man up and stop Gors dominance, Barasa tells Leopards

Former AFC Leopards striker Mike Barasa has scolded his former employers for letting their traditional rivals Gor Mahia monopolize football in Kenya hence killing the taste of healthy competition.

Barasa has challenged the 12-time champions to use all the resources at their disposal to stop K’Ogalo’s dominance.

Leopards have gone without a league title for 20 years as successive attempts, beginning in 2013, when they came agonizingly close, have ended in heart-aches.

Barasa had a chequered career as a player turning out for military side Ulinzi Stars before moving to Polis Di-Raja of Malaysia in 2006 after which he later featured for Azam SC and also helped Simba to win 2010 league title in Tanzania.

He joined Leopards in 2011 winning the club’s best player award in 2012 after scoring nine league goals that season.

“The truth is that we have one undisputed team in Gor Mahia which is winning the league year-in year-out .This is because of the way the team is being run.

“It’s organized and its leadership is focused; they know how to sign quality players,” Baraza, furious at Leopards dropped standards, said.

According to Barasa, Gor, a 17-time champion, is reaping the fruits of consistency and nobody is ready to challenge their dominance.

Barasa helped Leopards clinch the FKF -Shield in 2013 as the big cats settled for a runner up finish in the league, behind champions Gor .

That term, Leopards had a deadly front three comprising tricky winger Paul Were, direct striker Allan Wanga and Barasa himself.

The partnership of the trio has proved hard to emulate since then with every subtle attempt falling straight on the face on the Ingwe hierarchy.

Ingwe last claimed the league title in 1998. Since then the gong  has exchanged hands between Gor, Sofapaka, Mathare United, Ulinzi Stars and Tusker FC.

“During our era, we had a motivator in the frame of then chairman Alex Olex Magelo, and mature players, plus  a coach who trusted his players ability to deliver,”  the soft spoken Barasa said in reference to Dutch retiree Jan Koops who was then leading the team.

“It’s wrong to reshuffle the entire team season in season out .This can’t give a team enough time to solidify and harvest results,” Barasa said, adding that political interference and wrangles which have perennially dogged the club hence hindering its on-pitch aspirations.

Barasa’s calls come at a time Leopards is preparing for club elections set for July 19.

Since exiting the league scene, the left-footed Barasa has been in Qatar. Ingwe will be aiming for better returns in the new season following the appointment  of Serbian Nicola Kavazovic as their new head  coach.

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AFC Leopards GOR MAHIA League title Mike Barasa

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