Posta Rangers coach Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno says they can emulate newly crowned EPL side Leicester City and go all the way and win the 2016 SportPesa Premier League title.PHOTO/Courtesy.
NAIROBI, Kenya, April 10- Posta Rangers head coach Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno believes the team has the ability to win the SportPesa Premier League title this season, though he maintains his primary target is to secure a top five finish.
Speaking after being named the Sports Journalist Association of Kenya/Fidelity Insurance Coach of the Month for April, Otieno, an experienced former Harambee Stars defender has equated Posta to recently crowned English Premier League champions Leicester City, who surprised everyone to lift the title, despite having a slim 5000/1 chance at the start of the season.
“For me there is no pressure from my side because when I joined Posta Rangers there were some agreements between me and the management and we are still working within that. We are not saying we are going to win the league and from the start that was not our target but maybe we can do a Leicester. If the opportunity comes we have the quality players who can go all the way. We are trying to win as many matches as possible and if at the end of the day we’ll become champions, well and good,” Otieno said.
Posta, who were promoted back to top flight football after two years in the cold, have had a superb start to the season and after 12 matches they find themselves third on the log on 21 points, only three adrift of leaders Tusker FC.
They have lost only one match this season away to Kakamega Homeboyz and Otieno says this was occasioned by a plague of injuries that had threatened to derail their perfect start to the season.
The tactician led his team to an unbeaten month of April where they won thrice against Tusker, Ulinzi Stars and Ushuru and drawing twice away to Thika United and Bandari.
“We performed well in April because we played top teams and whenever we play such opponents, the players are usually self motivated to get all the points. The quality of players and a good coach also enabled us have a good month,” an elated Otieno stated.
Having won the league as a player and captain with record 15-time champions Gor Mahia, Otieno has not tasted the same victory as a coach despite managing Gor and Sony Sugar.
That enough will be motivation for him to ink his name on the history books, but he admits it will not be an easy assignment as all teams in the league are tough.
Posta’s next assignment will be at home to Chemelil Sugar and Otieno expects a tough encounter from the Sugar Millers who are seeking resurgence after winning only once in five matches.
He has also hinted he will look into the transfer market in June to strengthen his side with at least two new players.
There is speculation over the future of forward Timothy Otieno who is on loan from Gor with his form has attracting the interest of K’Ogalo head coach Jose Marcelo Ferreira.
Another player whose future remains uncertain in the team is goalkeeper Ian Otieno who is said to be disgruntled after slowly tumbling down from the first team into the reserve seat and losing the captaincy as well.
