KISUMU, Kenya, Sep 6 – Chemelil Sugar head coach Francis Baraza has been named the Fidelity Insurance Coach of the Month for August after racking up a run of four consecutive victories last month.
After a slow start to the campaign, Chemelil took maximum points from every league game last month to see them finish the month fourth on 36 points.
“I want to thank God for everything that happened in the month of August. It was my birthday month and the team management has given us big support as well as the players, who without them i would have not won the award,” Baraza, who turned 40-years last month, said after receiving the award at the team’s training base in Chemelil Complex.
“All the matches were difficult and i had confident we will win. I want to do even better. I’ve seen all the coaches who have won this award before have gone ahead and done poorly but i will try my best to do even better,” the former Sony Sugar and Western Stima head coach asserted.
Hard-fought 1-0 victories against Nairobi City Stars, Muhoroni Youth, GOtv Shield champions Bandari and Sony Sugar ensured the coach record a perfect outing, the only coach in the Kenyan Premier League that month to collect all the 12 points available on offer.
It’s from that result that the Sugar Millers moved to challenge for next year’s KPL Top 8 slot but Baraza has downplayed the that will see them feature to the annual tournament that they last competed in 2015.
“The league is very tight, and I’ve analysed our matches and I take every match as a final and I play with my plans, I have forgotten the past matches and I’m now concentrating on Gor. When I came here I said I want to finish on a better position so let’s finish our matches and see where we will be on the log,” Baraza stated.
Chemelil face defending champions Gor Mahia in their next match this weekend and Baraza has vowed to pile more pressure on the beleaguered K’Ogalo head coach Ze Maria.
“We take every match seriously and every game has it’s tactics. We know Gor and respect them but we are going for three points in Nairobi.” The tactician said
He becomes the sixth recipient of the award that comprises of a trophy engraved with his name and Sh50,000 after Francis Kimanzi (Mathare United), Ivan Minnaert (Immediate former AFC Leopards head coach), Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno (Posta Rangers), Salim Babu (Sony Sugar) and Henry Omino (Western Stima).