NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 1- Belgian tactician Ivan Minnaert says he will be seeking legal counsel from his lawyer after AFC Leopards terminated his contract with 16 months remaining.
Minnaert was fired on Thursday as AFC Leopards head coach with his assistant Ezekiel Akwana taking over until the end of the season.
“I don’t think it’s justifiable because I’m achieving my targets. The first one when I came in was to avoid relegation and we are well above the relegation zone. I was also to build a team for the future and if you look now we have almost four players being called up to the national team,” Minnaert, who joined the club in March, told Capital Sport.
“I am consulting with my lawyer on the issue of termination and if need be, we will take action,” he added.
The decision, according to AFC Leopards chairman Dan Mule was taken due to the club’s poor run of form over the last four matches.
“We had an executive meeting and took the decision because the team was performing poorly. We have instructed Akwana to take charge of the team but by the end of the season, we will have identified a person to take over permanently,” Mule said.
Mule disclosed that there is a clause in Minnaert’s contract indicating it can be terminated over poor performance.
Leopards has suffered unconvincing results including a 4-1 drubbing by Kakamega Homeboyz and last week’s 3-0 loss at the hands of Western Stima who dumped them out of the GOtv Shield.
Minnaert joined Ingwe from Rwandese side Rayon Sport, taking over from Dutchman Jan Koops who was redeployed as a technical director.
But his stint has been rocky with a section of the AFC Leopards management against his hiring, most of them saying Koops should have held on.
The inconsistent results the team has posted recently, following up on mid-season transfer drama compounded Minnaert’s woes.