Exactly four days from today, Tuesday 11 June 2024, Tomas Trucha will have been at the helm of Kenya’s oldest club, AFC Leopards, for exactly seven months.Trucha was unveiled at the Den on Saturday, October 15, 2023, taking over from Ingwe’s legend Tom Juma, who had been dismissed after a difficult start to his tenure, culminating in a 2-0 defeat to arch-rivals Gor Mahia in the Mashemeji Derby.Trucha’s tenure began with turmoil, starting with a 1-0 defeat by Bandari five days after his confirmation in his first match in charge.##NAJAVA_MECA_8156542##In his first eight games, he managed only one win, against a struggling Nzoia Sugar, thanks to Brian Yakhama’s 34th-minute penalty at Sudi Stadium.Trucha faced ridicule from fans who doubted his ability to end Ingwe’s trophy drought. In-house issues at the Den also seemed to derail his work.However, Chairman Dan Shikanda and the National Executive Committee (NEC) chose to stick with the Czech national.Despite the rocky start, recent results have brought hope to the team. After his tough beginning, Trucha led Leopards to ten consecutive matches without dropping maximum points and guided them to the last four of the Mozzart Bet Cup, where they lost by a solitary goal to Police, who will face Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) in the final. He is also on course to secure a top-four finish with Ingwe.Trucha has relied on his trusted lieutenants like any successful leader, with seven players featuring in at least 75% of the matches.AFC Leopards aim to end 26-year title drought next seasonVincent MahigaThe left-back has been a consistent name on the team sheet since Trucha took over.Mahiga only missed Trucha’s first game against Bandari and has displaced Washington Munene, playing 90 minutes in every match since.Throughout the campaign, Mahiga has amassed nearly 2960 minutes, the most of any player at the Den.Kaycie OdhiamboHis versatility as a midfielder and a centre-back has made him a core pillar at Ingwe.Apart from the matches against Bidco United and Posta Rangers, which he missed, Odhiambo has started every match since October 2023.He has been substituted only four times: in the 18th minute against Kenya Police, the 88th minute against PAC University in the domestic cup, the 78th minute against Compel FC, and the 75th minute in Leopards’ 1-0 loss to Bidco at Kenyatta Stadium.Kakamega Homeboyz to shop for three players in off-season transfer windowRandy Bakari, Boniface Munyendo, Musa Oundo, Clifton Miheso, and Levis OpiyoThese five players have played in at least 80% of the matches since Trucha took over.Bakari leads this group, having accumulated nearly 2285 minutes throughout the campaign.Munyendo, initially seeing fewer minutes under Trucha, has established himself as a regular and is one of only six players to have played over 2000 minutes for Ingwe.Other players who have featured regularly at the Den include Jaffari Owiti, Hassan Beja, Brian Yakhama, Aziz Okaka, Arthur Gitego, Victor Otieno, and Victor Omune.
