Sofapaka FC could be dealt a massive blow in the coming days if head coach Robert Matano strikes a deal with Tanzanian side Fountain Gate FC.The Tanzanian Premier League (TPL) team has identified Matano, a multiple Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title-winning coach, as their preferred candidate.##NAJAVA_MECA_8605373##Fountain Gate, currently sitting in sixth place, is looking to push for continental football next season despite being far behind fourth-placed Singida Black Stars, who have 33 points compared to their 20 after 16 matches.According to a source familiar with the situation, Fountain Gate has already approached Matano, and on Thursday, the coach travelled to Tanzania for talks over the possibility of taking charge at the club.Gor Mahia start new year with Kitara FC friendly”He is in Tanzania for discussions with Fountain Gate FC. The club reached out to him about the possibility of taking over as coach, and he travelled there yesterday (Thursday) for talks,” the source disclosed.However, the source cautioned that nothing has been finalized yet, with further face-to-face discussions needed before an agreement can be confirmed.”Nothing has been finalized yet, as there are still issues to be addressed before any appointment can be confirmed. The initial talks while he was still in Kenya were positive, and now we wait to see if an agreement will be reached,” the source added.AFC Leopards’ 2024: A mixed bag of hope and challengesThis is not the first time Matano has been linked with a move to the Tanzanian league. Last year, he travelled to Tanzania for negotiations with Tabora United, but the deal fell through. Tabora United was seeking to replace another Kenyan coach, Francis Kimanzi, who had been sacked, but they were unable to reach an agreement with Matano.Should Matano leave Sofapaka, it would be a significant blow for the club, which is currently enjoying a good run of form despite struggling financially. Matano has previously revealed that the financial difficulties at Sofapaka have made it increasingly challenging to motivate the players, who have gone unpaid for almost six months.”It is very difficult as a coach to motivate your players to continue giving their best on the pitch when they have not been paid for almost six months. It gets to a point where you cannot do it anymore, and this undermines the competitive spirit of the league,” Matano said recently.TACTICAL ANALYSIS: Gor Mahia’s Austin Odhiambo, scouting report, heat map and key passes data
