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New coach Zapata eager to end Ingwe’s long wait for league title


Newly appointed AFC Leopards coach, Argentine Rodolfo Zapata is ready to roll up his sleeves and work to end the club’s 20-year-long wait for a Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title.

The 51-year-old, the 13th Ingwe coach in four years, knows what’s expected at the team currently placed third on the KPL standings, five points shy of leaders Mathare United after 10 rounds of matches.

“It looks good taking up such a club hungry for a league title. I love the challenge ahead of me, AFC Leopards is a big team in Africa that deserves big things,” Zapata, who jets in the country tomorrow, told Nation Sport on phone from his base in Gaborone.

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He is currently on his third season with Botswana Premier League outfit Gaborone United that sits fifth on the 16-team log with 39 points from 25 rounds.

The former goalkeeper added: “I saw all Leopards’ games on YouTube and I can confess they’ve excellent players, this is part of the reason I chose them.”

His experience working in Africa with Nigerian side Sunshine Stars and Mpumalanga Black Aces of South Africa is what convinced Leopards executive to settle on him out of over 20 coaches that had applied for the job.