Embattled Leopards coach facing imminent suspension
Out of favour AFC Leopards coach Rodolfo Zapata is facing an indefinitely suspension by the club management, Nairobi News understands.
The Argentine coach is currently under pressure from both the management and a section of the team’s fans, in the wake of poor results that the club has posted recently.
Zapata who signed a two-year contract with Leopards in June 2018, is also reported to have lost control of the dressing room with players said not be contented with his training methods.
According to multiple sources within Leopards camp, Zapata may not b allowed to take charge of the team during Sunday’s league match against Ulinzi Stars in Nakuru.
“He shot himself in the foot by ignoring his technical bench and favouring certain players from day one,” a senior official who sought anonymity, was quoted by Nation Sport.
Zapata who replaced Tanzanian Dennis Kitambi has however defended his record.
ATTITUDE PROBLEM
“We need a proper plan and patience. Remember I took the team in the middle of the season with players whom coach Matano (Robert) signed and they responded positively in the beginning, but now there’s an attitude problem,” he said.
Leopards fans are reeling from last weekend’s heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Sofapaka in the semis of the FKF SportPesa Shield at the Kasarani stadium.
This result implies the team will end the 2018 league season without a trophy, and thus, will not feature in continental assignments in 2019.
Things go from bad to worse on Wednesday when Ingwe was thrashed 4-0 by Tusker at the Kenyatta stadium in Machakos.
The humiliating loss further aggrieved the club’s long suffering fans, some of whom have openly called on the coach and the management to quit.
Should Zapata be sidelined from the match against Ulinzi, his assistant Tom Juma and the team’s manager Gilbert Selebwa – who is a qualified coach – are expected to take charge.