Besieged AFC Leopards Head Coach Ivan Minnaert fell short of putting blame squarely on fans for the Saturday 1-0 loss to bogey team Chemelil Sugar FC in a SportPesa Premier League match at Moi Stadium, Kisumu.
Ivan expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which the 12th man instilled fear in his charges, hindering their free expression.
“I’m really disappointed with the result. The players were playing with fear of the fans; they were scared to play, scared to do something wrong,” the Belgian tactician told Soka25east.com.
Instead, the former Rayon Sports Coach is calling for full support for the young team, promising to win the next match and save his future at the den that is increasingly becoming uncertain, with a section of the club’s Independent Management Committee (IMC) members calling for his head.
“We need to win next game, but we need the full support of the fans, helping us the entire game,”
“I cannot do well for everybody. This is a new team only two weeks together, it cannot be a machine in few weeks.” He added.
The Coach overhauled the team in June, dropping up to 15 players during the mini tranfer window.
One member of the IMC Suleiman Angulu has time and again hit out at the Coach on social media questioning the way he was “sneaked” into the team and his competence.
“The Coach was sneaked in by some IMC members because they believed they brought sportpesa, by then afc was among the top 3. The coach claimed sabotage, him and some imc members released players on social media and issued them with undated release letters now the club is to pay them millions. Same IMC officials and the coach have recruited some players without the approval of IMC and here we are being washed by chemelil. Time has come to call a spade a spade.” Angulu’s latest post.
Hillary Echesa’s 50th minute tap in, was all the Millers needed to prolong their dominance over Ingwe, and stretch their winless streak to eight games.
The team was shortly held hostage after the bitter loss by disgruntled fans who sought answers for the continued poor run.
The 13-time champions occupies 13th spot on the league table on 17 points, two places a bove relegation zone; they next host Thika United in Nairobi.
Tweet me @bonfaceosano
