Gor Mahia star Austin Odhiambo has disclosed the role AFC Leopards fans played during a crucial part of his football career.The midfielder began his FKF Premier League journey at AFC Leopards, where he made his debut before making a controversial move to their arch-rivals, Gor Mahia.##NAJAVA_MECA_8424562##In an interview with the Tiki Taka show, Odhiambo described the most critical moment of his career as joining AFC Leopards and competing with established players.“I feel that was the most crucial and important time for me, and maybe for any other player. I had just finished high school and joined the team to compete against players like Isuza and Paul Were. These were people I had looked up to as a younger player,” he said.Thrown into the deep end, the Ambira High School alumnus shared that what helped him, and could help other young players in a similar situation, was believing in himself. “Trusting in my abilities and working hard helped me a lot. It didn’t take long before I started playing.”After hard work in training, the reigning FKF Premier League Most Valuable Player (MVP) finally got his chance to make his debut in an away match against Kakamega Homeboyz at Bukhungu Stadium. Although he anticipated pressure from AFC Leopards fans, it came sooner than expected.“Fans started calling for Isuza before the match. They didn’t know who I was and were wondering why I was playing instead. I felt the pressure during warm-up. It was clear they didn’t trust me, and I was anxious about what would happen if I played badly,” Odhiambo recalled.John Kamau explains difference between promoted Mathare United and Mara SugarWith the weight of scrutiny on his shoulders, the young Odhiambo initially struggled to handle the pressure, which impacted his start to the game.“I started the match poorly because I panicked in the first half. Fans were even calling for my substitution in the packed Bukhungu Stadium,” he said.Fortunately for the 24-year-old, his coach at the time, Andre Cassa Mbungo, stood by him, helping him push through that difficult phase, which Odhiambo says was pivotal in his career.“We had a great coach who supported me. Towards the end of the first half, I started playing well, and the crowd began to support me. That moment was important in building my character.”Kenyan football infrastructure is behind by 40 years, claims Harambee Stars coach Firat
