Zapata is here to stay: Igaida

AFC Leopards secretary general Oscar Igaida has rubbished reports that head coach Rodolfo Zapata is set to make an untimely exit from the club after the Mashemeji derby set for Sunday.

Igaida was reacting to a report exclusively carried by Citizen Digital that the Argentine is set to throw the towel barely four months at the helm of the team due to plots of derailing his plan for the team.

According to Igaida, the Argentine has a-one-year contract which he is committed to seeing through.

Zapata, according sources, is unsettled at the den after his plans to challenge for the league were thwarted by ‘politics’ within the club.

But Igaida scoffed at the report. He said: “We want to concentrate on the derby and not side shows, the coach signed a-one-year contract with us and as far as I know he is committed to honouring it.

“We have been attending the security meeting prior to the Sunday fixture and as a club there is unity amongst the executive, technical bench and players,”Igaida affirmed.

Leopards have lost just one match, to Kakamega Homeboyz FC, in their last nine league matches, and according to Igaida, the technical bench is doing fine as far as results is concerned.

Leopards will miss the services of their captain Duncan Otieno who is on suspension with defender Robinson Kamura and mid-fielder Brian Marita nursing injuries.

Zapata left Gaborone United FC of Botswana in April after serving for two- years.

It however remains to be seen whether Zapata will call it quits or stay put. At Ingwe, the revolving door of coaches has been unkind; the tacticians leaving in quick succession.

Leopards is hungry to win the derby to cut the champions lead to 10 points but face a much tougher task after the latter turned on the class to demolish Tanzania champions Yanga SC 4-0 in a Caf-Confederations Cup Group D tie at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani last night.

Gor Mahia lost their danger man Meddie Kagere to Tanzanian giants Simba SC and were handed another huge blow last night after lead striker Jacques Tuyisenge limped off with an injury.