AFC Leopards coach Patrick Aussems has confirmed that will be back at the club on match-day two, quelling rumours that he has quit the broke 13-time Kenyan champions.
The Belgian tweeted on Thursday morning that he was ‘going to keep his word’ having left the country for holiday with two matches to play last season.
With the new FKF Premier League season two days away, uncertainty has grown in the Den with quorum issues topping the headlines.
“Tired of rumors, fake news ... l am a man of my word and despite difficult times for the club , l will be back next week to help INGWE to become the flagship club of the country again. Tuwe pamoja kufanikisha lengo hili ! See you very soon,” Aussems tweeted.
In his absence, the club’s assistant coach Thomas Juma has been handling the team, something he says has been coordinated with his boss Aussems.
“We are in communication with Aussems on a daily basis and we are using his training program to prepare for the upcoming assignments,” Juma told TeamKenya.
“We have quite some difficult moments because of the FIFA ban but we believe that all shall be well as time goes,” he added.
“We have lost some players but not the team,” he stressed.
The club has lost almost the entire first-eleven and things seem to be getting worse by day.
In a separate incident, the club moved swiftly to dispel rumours that the club did not have enough players to prepare for league assignments. In a statement, AFC Leopards said tohta
“Contrary to reports doing rounds on social media and sections of the press, the club has adequate playing staff and technical personnel preparing for the new season that kicks off on Sunday, September 26, 2021.”
“The club would also like to dispel rumours that the head coach Patrick Aussems has left the club. The coach has a valid contract with the club and has been heavily involved in the pre-season training. The coach himself sends his greeting to Ingwe fans and is looking forward to welcoming you all in the stadium as soon as possible.”
“The club is also aware that we have lost a number of players after we failed to agree on contractual aspects. We wish the players all the best in their future engagements. However, our focus is on the group of dedicated players in the camp and we are working tirelessly to ensure that their welfare is at the forefront of our season planning,” the club said in a statement.
The former Kenyan champions kick-start their campaign against Tusker on Sunday September 26.