Wazito FC tactician Frank Ouna gestures instructions from the touchline during his side’s Kenyan Premier League clash against Kariobangi Sharks at the Camp Toyoyo Ground on March 4, 2018. PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 28 – Wazito FC head coach Frank Ouna is confident the team will return to the top tier having been relegated from the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) on Thursday thanks to Chemelil Sugar’s 1-0 win over Thika United.
Wazito earned a first ever promotion from the National Super League (NSL) at the close of last season, but found the heat in the top tier too much to handle especially with the financial demands that come with it.
Ouna says their turning point was in June when they lost 18 first team players because of their tough financial position at the time and from there, the coach admitted it was hard to make a turn-around.
“We know how we were relegated. It’s not on the pitch but off it,”
“I don’t think there is a team anywhere in the world which lost 18 players and went on to perform well. That was the turning point for us. Also, the fact that we were changing calendars meant that we didn’t have the benefit of three or four-week break,” the tactician noted.
He added; “With that we were losing players and playing matches and we had a tough run that had Sofapaka, Tusker, Bandari, Posta and we ended losing about five or six matches on the trot. It was always going to be difficult for us.”
Wazito who are 17th in the standings with two rounds of matches left won only seven of their 32 games and conceded a whooping 49 goals, the second joint highest in the league after Nakumatt who have so far conceded 57.
Wazito FC head coach Frank Ouna shouts instructions during their KPL match against Sony Sugar at Camp Toyoyo on February 3, 2017. PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya
Ouna says the team has taken in the hard lessons and will be sure to put them into the NSL and ensure they rise back to the top immediately.
“We now have sponsors on board and we take the hard lessons we have picked from this division and prepare for next season in the NSL; there’s nothing to be ashamed about. We have been there in the NSL and earned promotion and we will go there and do it again,” the tactician added.
The side will now shift focus on finishing the season strongly and they will have a home tie against Bandari and an away trip to Sony Sugar as their final goodbyes to the top tier.
“We have to put our heads high and focus on those two remaining games. We have to go out on a high and give ourselves a bit of confidence heading into the NSL,” further stated the tactician.
