AFC Leopards coach Tomas Trucha has downplayed chairman Dan Shikanda’s bold claim that the club will win the league title next season, ending a 26-year drought.Ingwe last secured the league title over two decades ago and, despite coming close several times, have fallen short at critical moments. As his second and final term nears its end, Shikanda has once again vowed to bring the league title back to the den.##NAJAVA_MECA_8284028##”The new season will belong to AFC Leopards. We will win the league, and our rivals, including Gor Mahia, should take note. Mark this day on your calendar. It’s important to state our intentions so that every team in the league knows what we aim to achieve,” Shikanda said, as quoted by SportsBoom.com.”Of course, it won’t be easy; I predict at least six teams will be in the title race, but at the end of the day, AFC Leopards will come out on top. We will be crowned champions. We will be the last team standing; this will be our season. You can ask our coach, Tomas (Trucha). He will tell you the same thing. We will fight for the title and do everything to win it for the fans. It has been a long wait, and the time to deliver success is now. I don’t see anything standing in our way.”CAFWCLQ: Police Bullets face CBE in crunch final group A tieHowever, Trucha,has expressed a differing opinion. He pointed out several challenges that might prevent the team from securing the title, including the lack of an ideal squad.”When President Dan (Shikanda) talks about titles, I always ask how he plans to achieve them. Do we have the best team? Do we have the best training facilities in the country? How do our local and foreign players compare to those in other top Kenyan teams? Do we have the highest budget and the biggest pool of sponsors? The answer is no, and there are no shortcuts in football. You need to be fully prepared to win a title and know how to do it. We’ll have a competitive team, but other clubs aren’t sitting idle either,” Trucha explained.Trucha further revealed that the club has struggled to secure most of his transfer targets, players he identified from the KPL and NSL, which could hinder the team’s plans for the upcoming season.”Last season, I watched many matches in the Kenya Premier League and National Super League (NSL). From this scouting, we submitted a list of players we wanted to the AFC management, but most of them didn’t come,” Trucha said when asked if he was satisfied with the club’s transfer activities.”With time running out, we’re still looking for other options to strengthen the team,” he added.Leopards start the season with an away match against Mathare United on Sunday.Victor Omune dominates AFC Leopards Awards Gala, takes home top honors
