Bandari head coach Andre Casa Mbungo has tipped the club’s defensive midfielder Joseph Otieno to skipper the club when he comes of age.Otieno made his second overall league start for Bandari and the first of the season when the Dockers sunk AFC Leopards 2-1 at the Mbaraki Stadium last Sunday with his performance procuring praises from the Rwandese tactician.The budding midfielder made his Bandari debut in the last match of last season against Wazito and was picked ahead of the promising Dennis Magige and the seasoned Collins Agade against Leopards.Mbungo said the 22-year old had depicted not only the skill to shield the defence but leadership that he feels are good enough to lead the team in the future.Kijana wa Shanzu Joseph Otieno leo ndio dereva pale Mchikoni! Huyo kijana ni moto fire, amepiga mpira wa kulipwa pale Bandari Youth FC. na baada ya kupiga soka ya kupendeza leo basi amepata nafasi katika timu Kubwa.Yaani hapa Bandari ni kutoa talent tu. 🔥🔥Kikosi cha leo pic.twitter.com/9CTu6KD4NU— Bandari Football Club (@BandariOfficial) August 22, 2021 The former Leopards boss has not shied away from giving the youth a chance since taking over at Bandari in January with his matchday squad having a number of upcoming players.Among the players he has trusted with the first team duties are Ndemi Keegan, Magige while Hassan Idd has also amassed sizeable playing time under Mbungo.”Otieno is a good player who will lead the rest at some point if he is properly groomed. The good players you see around were once given an opportunity when they were young and that’s why I never shut the door on any young player,” he said.Otieno who was born in Shanzu joined the Bandari Youth team in 2019 after he was spotted while in action for his boyhood club at the Uwanja wa Mbuzi grounds where they would occasionally play friendly matches.Hardwork paying off for budding MagigeHe says were it not for Emmanuel Juma, a grassroots-based coach and a former player he would be languishing in street football as the latter recommended him to the Bandari Youth technical bench who kept close tabs on him and later acquires his services.”I would not have been the player I am today and playing for Bandari were it not for Juma. He held my hand by clearing the path for me to join the Bandari junior team. I worked hard and the senior team’s technical bench noticed me and invited me to train with them and as they say the rest is history, “he said.
