NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 23 – Kenya Police FC head coach Sammy Omollo is furious with the departure of midfielder Duke Abuya who is said to have moved to Tanzania, saying his departure leaves a bitter taste on his mouth.
Omollo whose galactico side started their FKF Premier League campaign with a slim 1-0 defeat at the hands of KCB last Saturday says he had built his team around the midfielder, but his departure now means he has to revise his plans.
“I didn’t know that he (Duke) was leaving and I am not sure even if the office knew. In pre-season I had built the team around the boy and even in our last friendly match against Tusker he scored. It is a very big let up for me and I wish I knew he was not going to be part of the team then I would have built the team around someone else,” the tactician said.
ABuya is said to have travelled to Tanzania to seal a move to SIngida Big Stars after the move earlier on in August fell through. However, the manner of the departure has left Omollo with a huge headache.
He says the absence of Abuya, and then Patillah Omotto’s due to injury in the game against KCB cost his side a fluid display.
“If I had three midfielders especially Patillah and Duke, then we would have been a stronger team. I built my play around the midfield and without those two we didn’t look strong,” the coach said.
Omotto, signed in pre-season from Kariobangi Sharks picked an injury during the last training before the match against KCB, but the coach is optimistic he will be back in time. Against KCB, right back Baraka Badi also picked up an injury forcing him out.
The team is also missing the services of striker David Okoth, signed in pre-season from Kakamega Homeboyz.
With this burden of injuries, Omollo knows his work is cut out.
“I am hoping that the three will be back before our next match because they are very key to the team,” the former Gor Mahia assistant coach noted.
Meanwhile, he has been boosted with the return of Clifton Miheso who has finally returned to the team after a tussle over the extension of his contract. Miheso had previously tried a move to Ethiopia which hit a snag and returned, though he hasn’t’ trained with the side for most parts of pre-season.
“Yeah it is good to have him back though he looked rusty. He still needs some two more weeks to be able to get to the top. I believe he will be better by the time we play in the next match,” the coach added.
He remains confident that the team will bounce back to winning ways especially now that he is under pressure to deliver at the side after he was fully backed by the management in terms of rebuilding the side during the pre-season transfer window.
