National Super League side Silibwet Leons are lucky to have survived the chop this season after Football Kenya Federation decided not to relegate teams to the lower tier in the just concluded 2022/2023 season Leons, who finished the season with only three wins, endured one of the worst campaigns since there promotion to the second tier three years ago. After the resignation of former Muhoroni Youth head Coach Joseph Ongoro, the club had no power to attract any coach at the club and it followed by a massive exodus of players ,which team manager Erick Rono attributed to financial constrains that hit the Bomet club. “Last season was not one of a kind, we had good plans but four games into the season our coach left and he was followed by players too. All this was because we were unable to foot our bills at the club,” said Rono one of the founders of Leon .As the super league is expected to have a maximum twenty teams at the start of 2023/2024 season, the club’s team manager understands need of having a competitive squad and well organized team ,if they are to compete and survive in one of the toughest leagues in Kenya . “Next season we are going to have 20 teams, meaning we are going to the normal running of NSL after two years and now there’s need for a strong squad and to put our house in order.” He said As away of forming a young vibrant team, Silibwet Leons have mapped a plan of sourcing talents across the country with a keen eye on the on going tournaments to unearth raw talent from the grass roots and give them a platform at the second highest competition in Kenya. ##NAJAVA_MECA_7390558##The choice of scouting from the local tournament was reached after the club resolved to have a young team that is easy to manage financial and willing to learn & adopt quickly to NSL “We have started a journey of scouting talents from the grass roots today ( Tuesday). My team was in Kisumu and has been camping here for over three days to try and identify players we can sign. This decision was made so as to have a squad with less financial need as we make away for them to grace the premier league and even international stage,” offered Erick, who last season assumed the role of a coach at the club. CAF CC: Homeboyz to face Libyan side in first roundRono, in an interview with Mozzart Sport, was also quick to distance his club from allegations of match fixing that had slowly found its way at the club noting that he was ready to comply with relevant authorities to unearth such culprits. “Honestly, I haven’t found even a single evidence of such. We are going to be vigilant next season to try and monitor some of our players – we are ready to engage relevant bodies to kill this vice in Kenya,” he added. Mozzart Sport has learnt that the squad overhaul and need for youthful players was necessitated by the rogue players the club has had to deal with in the previous two seasons. According to the team manager, Silibwet Leons are targeting a mid table finish next season to better on their last season seventeenth place finish on 17 points from 32 league matches.
