NAIROBI, Kenya, September 24- AFC Leopards have suspended Dutch head coach Jan Koops following a string of bad results with assistant coach Micky Weche taking over in acting capacity.
The Dutch man who joined Ingwe midway last season was on a three-year contract with the side whose performance has plunged over the last few matches including the 2-1 loss to arch-rivals Gor Mahia on Saturday that seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.
“I’m hearing the reports from the media about my suspension but the management is yet to get in touch with me officially on the same.
“My contract runs for three years and I have just done one, so they will have to pay me for the remainder of my agreement,” Koops told Capital Sport when reached for comment.
The tactician said he was informed by the team manager on Monday morning that their training session at the Moi Forces Academy had been postponed to a later date but no reasons were given.
“I don’t see the point why the training was halted since the players still need to keep practicing for the next match against Muhoroni Youth.
“The problem is that the executive committee doesn’t believe the club can lift the trophy yet the players are ready and willing to go for the title,” he explained.
Efforts to reach chairman Alex Ole Magelo for further clarification failed by the time of going to press as speculation mounted the executive had dispensed the services of Koops five games to the end of what would have been his first full season.
Koops took over the struggling side from Nick Yakhama and led them to a fifth finish last season before going 23 matches unbeaten as AFC charged to the top of the Tusker Premier League (TPL) table, a streak that was broken by title holders Tusker in March in Mombasa .
The team is still in the running for the title and are currently in third, a point adrift of Gor (46) who trail champions Tusker by two but have not won in the league since thumping Thika United 5-0 away.
Defeats to KCB (2-0), draw with Tusker (0-0) in addition to loses to Western Stima and Gor with identical 2-1 reverse saw Leopards cede TPL leadership in the intense run-in having not won the domestic title since 1998.
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