Omino eyes last minute title-push with Western Stima

Henry Omino believes his Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side Western Stima would be higher up the table if officiating in the domestic top flight met the required standards.

Delighted after his solid work with the Kisumu-based side was recognised with the Fidelity Coach of the Month for July on Tuesday, Omino is fired up to crawl the 10-point gap with leaders Tusker FC with nine rounds of the competition left.

“Our target was to finish in the top five and we are happy to be right about there although the season is not due. A lot can still change but we want to stay positive and mount a title challenge.

“The difference between us and top teams is not that big and if they continue dropping points we can catch up and steal the title. Nobody is thinking of us as title favourites but any team can win it this year,” the coach charged.

“After midseason we have emerged strongly and look to keep the tempo in the remaining matches so that we finish at the highest position possible,” an elated Omino added.

The coach who was presented with a Ksh50,000 cheque and plaque in Kisumu lamented further progress in turning the side into title-challengers was curtailed by the shoe string budget club sponsors, Kenya Power, have set aside for the team.

“Our recruitment policy and budget restricts us to young and upcoming players who we cannot hold onto after they are developed but if the playing field was fair, Stima could have an unbeatable side,” he underscored.

Poor refereeing has ignited debate and allegations of match fixing in the KPL and last week, Football Kenya Federation asked five officials to step aside from duty for three months.

Omino’s recognition comes after the veteran coach guided Stima into the top five in the on-going last month, despite losing his top scorer, Baron Oketch, in the June window after he was snapped up by champions, Gor Mahia.

In the poll conducted by Sports Journalists Association of Kenya, Omino garnered 17 points, six ahead of Kakamega Homeboyz boss, Mike Mururi and Chemelil Sugar’s Francis Baraza who had eight.

Stima beat Mathare United and basement side Sofapaka and shared the spoils with Posta Rangers and Thika United for eight points in four games.

Omino joins previous winners Francis Kimanzi (Mathare), Ivan Minnaert (AFC Leopards), Zedekiah Otieno (Posta) and Salim Babu (Salim Babu) in the rolling list of honour.