Paul Nkata receives his coach of the year award from SportPesa Marketing manager Kester Muhanji. PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya
NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 15- Paul Nkata, the 2016 Kenyan Premier League coach of the year has ditched Tusker FC for Coastal side Bandari ahead of next season after leading the brewers to a league and domestic cup double.
Tusker Chief Executive Officer Charles Obiny has confirmed to Capital Sport that they have agreed to part ways with the Ugandan and allow him tackle a new challenge.
“He came and told us that he had an approach from Bandari. We had a meeting with him and we agreed on mutual consent to allow him take on a new challenge because as a team, we don’t want to come in between his progress and growth,” Obiny told Capital Sport.
He has also disclosed they had anticipated the coach’s departure and will be unveiling the new man at the helm in the next one week.
“He is a coach whose profile had risen so much and we knew one way or another, a better deal for him would come. We have someone in mind and pending the conclusion of talks, we should have him joining us by next week,” Obiny said.
He added; “We want to wish him (Nkata) all the best in his new challenge and we thank him for his service. Under him, we won a double for the first time ever.”
No one from Bandari was available for comment but according to local football website Soka, Bandari has indicated in club licensing documents forwarded to the Football Kenya Federation that Nkata will be their coach for the new season.
The tactician joined the brewers in January from Muhoroni Youth where he had spent the final six months of the 2015 season after moving to the sugar belt from Nairobi City Stars.
He faced criticism when he arrived in Ruaraka with most of the opinion he would not handle the pressure that comes with demands at Tusker.
But having led the side to a double, Nkata in a previous interview told Capital Sport he had silenced his critics and was angling himself to achieve even more in the new season.
He gave a hint during the end-year KPL awards gala when he said ‘he didn’t know’ whether he will be at Tusker in the coming season.
