NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 2 – Slightly over two years ago, Salim Babu was coaching in the Kenyan second tier, the National Super League.
His coaching career appeared to be on the skid after joining Kisumu All Stars, a Super League outfit, in October 2020 after parting ways with the then topflight club, Wazito.
However, he sprung back to the top tier after securing the coaching job with Nzoia Sugar in January 2022, helping the club survive relegation.
Babu inspired Nzoia to an impressive fourth-place finish in the 2022-2023 season, a run that earned him a move to Kenya Police albeit as an assistant coach.
The soft-spoken tactician was elevated to the rank of head coach at Police in December 2023 after then-boss Zdravko Logarusic was fired due to a persistent poor run in the league.
Under Babu, Police went for nearly five months without defeat and shot from the bottom half of the league table and would eventually finish third behind Tusker and champions Gor Mahia.
The club capped off the electric performance under Babu with the Football Kenya Federation Cup on Saturday, June 29 following their post-match penalties 8-7 win over KCB in the final staged at Ulinzi Complex.
This was the first trophy for Police since inception in 2014 and for Babu in his coaching career that, at some point, was on the nosedive.
“This is a special moment for me as I had never won a title since I ventured into coaching. I had handled several teams in the top tier and lower tiers but had not won a title. I am happy and will live to remember this moment,” Babu told SportsBoom.com after the final.
Plan ahead of CAF Confederation Cup debutÂ
Winning the cup came with a 2 million reward and a ticket to play in next season’s CAF Confederation Cup which will be the first appearance for the law enforcers.
Already the club has been cleared and licensed to play continental matches alongside league winners after meeting all club licensing requirements.
Known for their big spending, Babu revealed that there lies grand plans, which include strengthening their squad, ahead of their debut in continental football.
“The team has good and solid plans heading to the first appearance in CAF matches. We will convene a meeting with the rest of the technical bench members, whom we’ve worked with well in the season, for a review,” said the former Western Stima coach.
Babu won the Kenyan Premier League in 2006, as a player, with the defunct Sony Sugar FC under coach Francis Baraza, the man he deputised for a few months last year at Police.
He hopes to join the club of individuals who have won the league during their active years and as a coach by inspiring Police to the first FKF Premier League title next season.
“Winning the cup gives us the motivation to go for the Premier League title next season. A Slow start in the concluded chances hurt our chances but we have since learnt our lesson. It is possible to win the league title next season,” remarked the former Wazito assistant coach.
Inexperience cost KCB first title
While there was song and dance on the side of Police, all was gloomy on the losing finalist as the result denied them a chance to lift their first-ever title.
Reacting to the loss, KCB coach Bernard Mwalala regretted that chances created in the first half of the contest went begging and the team was made to pay for it in the end.
“We started well but we failed to score from the clear-cut chances created in the first half. Penalties can go either way and we live to fight another day,” the tactician told SportsBoom.com.
Positives despite painful loss
Mwalala, a winner of the cup with Bandari in 2019, however, drew positives from the loss saying it will inspire his young players to believe more and make amends next season.
“Most of the players couldn’t believe it, when I told them it was possible to reach the final and win, at the start of the season. They have a reason to eliminate the doubt and I reckon they will approach the next edition more confident, ” said the former Nzoia Sugar coach.
Just like his Police counterpart, Mwalala aims to inject fresh blood into the team before the new season kicks off.
“I will have to bring in new and experienced players when the transfer window opens. We had to rebuild in the mid-season window and the results were there for all to see,” said the former Kenyan international.
-By SportsBoom–
