Coach Leonard Odipo has his work cut out in inspiring the 2008 Kenyan Premier League champions Mathare United back to the top flight.Mathare, will feature in the National Super League in the 2023-2024 season after kissing the grass in the past term where they, finished second from bottom in the top division.In order to navigate the murky Super League waters, the club, turned to the services of Odipo who got down to business on Monday morning.##NAJAVA_MECA_7383446##Odipo, alongside members of his backroom staff were unveiled on Monday morning at Goan Institute grounds in Pangani.Tens of budding and experienced players showed up at the facility for the trials that commenced on Monday morning and will run up to Wednesday.According to the club’s Chief Executive Officer Jecton Obure, the team will sign at least twenty players.Omurwa excited ahead of his Portuguese top tier bowDespite the uphill task ahead, Odipo who has previously worked at the club as an assistant coach, says he is ready for the job and keen to get the team back to the table of men as well.“The main objective is to get the team promoted at the end of the season. This will only happen if we will as many matches as possible,” said the former Posta Rangers technical director.Odipo is not new to the Super League having tutored the defunct Nairobi Stima and Kariobangi Sharks during their stay in the second tier.He is also not a stranger to the Mathare United systems that he intends to revive and make them vibrant.“I have grown up and passed through their system. Mathare has taught me a lot of life values and it is only fair if I return the favour. We have to go back, redraw our vision, plan and start the march back to the top league,” he said.Mathare United announces recruitment exercise in preparation for the 2023/24 National Super League seasonIn the interest of firing the club back to its glory days, the former Sony Sugar tactician suggested a full revival of the feeder teams that used to supply talent to the senior team and national teams in the past.“We have neglected our youth and zonal teams for long. The teams acted as our feeders in the past and we intend to go back there. We have to get players who know the traditions and culture of Mathare and nurture them,” said the CAF A and B coaching course instructor.To help breath life to the Mathare culture, the club turned to James ‘Odijo’ Omondi who will be tasked with handling the youth team and scouting.
