Matano remain sidelined as Gattuso snubs crunch meeting

AFC Leopards coach Robert Matano remains suspended after failing to convince the club executive otherwise following a crunch closed-door meeting held on Tuesday.

Matano was asked to step aside last week by the club’s honchos following the team’s poor run and his assistant, Tanzanian Dennis Kitambi presided over the weekend game, a 1-0 over Sony Sugar at the Awendo Green Stadium.

In an interview with Citizen Digital, club chairman Dan Mule said that though Matano remains an employee of the club ‘until further notice”, he will continue to stay away from the team.

“He is still an active employee of the team despite the fact that he won’t be attending any of the forthcoming games,” Mule said, adding that “until the team shows some improvement, his fate remains undecided.’’

Kitambi will continue to hold the fort.

The coach has been on suspension for the past one week, for, among other reasons, failing to control the dressing room which led to a string of poor results.

At the same time, midfielder Collins ‘Gattuso’ Okoth was a no-show for the crunch meeting.

Gattuso, it is understood, had been summoned over a disciplinary issue, but according to Mule, he did not turn up for the meeting.This is likely to jeopardise his long-term stay at the club.

Mule, however, said that the combative holding midfielder  “will not be suspended”.

Okoth joined Ingwe after falling out with then Gor Mahia head coach Jose ‘Ze Maria’ Ferreira. He has previously turned out for  Sofapaka and Tusker .

Report by Gathoni Kobia