After a tumultuous season, Mathare United can finally afford a smile after surviving the drop with their 1-0 win over Ulinzi Stars capped with results from elsewhere on Wednesday, and one person that has had full belief that the team would not be relegated has been their coach, Frank Furo Ouna.The experienced tactician lauded the contribution of the veteran David Okello in goal and Clifford Alwanga, whom he said played a very big role in ensuring that Mathare did not drop.On top of their experience, Ouna also revealed that he worked extensively on the players’ mental and physical side as those were the areas he found wanting when he took over the job.”Okello and Alwanga have had a very big impact in us surviving this league. There are times you are in these situations and you need such. Before I brought Alwanga in we would miss very many chances but with Alwanga in most times you will win the ball and will always expect the right pass. The moment called for these very experienced players,””Two things that I worked on the most were the physical and mental sides. I found a couple of players who were unfit and mentally they were also very down. Tactically, this team had been coached by Kimanzi and Salim before, and they are very good tactical and technical coaches but I felt what I needed to work on were the physical side of the game and the mental side. that was my focus,” he said after guiding Mathare to survival.🙌🏿 | With today’s win coupled with results elsewhere, Mathare United has secured its place in yet another season in the topflight. 👏🏿#GreatnessWithin pic.twitter.com/P0ZjaZOqvk— Mathare United FC (@MathareUtd) August 18, 2021 In June, Ouna remained unfazed with the team’s positioning at that time, saying that he would only be worried if they were at the foot of the table with three or four games remaining to the end of the season.True to his word, Mathare United beat Kariobangi Sharks 3-2 earlier this month in the Slum Derby to get out of the relegation zone with only four games left to the end of the campaign and held on to their new position until confirming their survival.Furo unfazed by current bottom spotOuna had Mathare’s survival tact all planned, and he chose to be realistic about his chances and how they were likely to come other than rely on speculations.Mathare played KCB twice, AFC Leopards twice, Gor Mahia, in their first eight matches with Furo in charge as all the three teams chased to book CAF Champions League ticket that was up for grabs on June 30th.Ouna knew those games would be tough, but at the same time knew that he would have good games as the season progressed, and he did.”10 or 15 matches ago I used to stand here and convince you that Mathare United would survive the chop but none of you was convinced because I had a very difficult start. I played the top five teams in the first six matches and that is when teams were going for the continental matches so I had a very tough start,””I knew we would finish off with sort of easier matches. I have been in this league before so I knew my matches would come and I would win enough of them to keep the team in the league,” he added.K Sharks 2-3 Mathare UnitedSlumboys out of relegation zone after the win— Kasembeli◼ (@Kasembeli_) August 4, 2021
