Luanda Villa SC coach Tom Tera has spoken for the first time since the eventful Saturday when he led the Luanda-based club to the National Super League (NSL) for the first time in their history.Villa earned the automatic promotion slot after humbling Zoo Kericho FC 1-0 at the Mumboha Stadium courtesy of Doreck Otieno’s 36th-minute header, a result that saw them top the FKF Division One League Zone B.##NAJAVA_MECA_7403412##The 1995 Moi Golden Cup Champion with AFC Leopards has heaped praise on his charges for an impressive run throughout the season and for showing resilience when it mattered most, despite being the underdogs at the start of the season.”I’m super excited to lead this team to such a historic moment,” he said.Tera, who has been with the team for three seasons now, led his side to a perfect run in home matches, losing none of the thirteen games penciled at Mumboha Stadium last campaign and picking up maximum points in eleven of them.The ex-Chemelil defender noted that the 2020–2021 promotion play-off defeat to SS Assad acted as motivation for his squad and made the promotion even more enjoyable.”That defeat at Camp Toyoyo really hurt, because we had almost the same players from the play-offs. It acted as motivation when we realized we could grace the NSL,” added the 2017 National Super League champion with Vihiga United as an assistant coach.Tom, who earned his first call-up with the national team Harambee Stars in 1992, hailed the fans for sticking with the Mumboha club during the season as he maps out a plan for the second tier, which is regarded as the toughest league in Kenya.”I’m told the NSL is a tough league, but I have been there before and I know the league very well. We are going to fight for promotion; let them not underrate us,” he concluded.The community-powered club have taken a two-week break and will embark on pre-season duties on August 13th in readiness for the 2023–2024 National Super League campaign.Villa are expected to axe some of their players and tie down those with ending contracts as well as shop for some in a bid to bolster the squad before start of the season.Sofapaka parade new signings ahead of the 2023-24 season
