Matano: ‘The Lion’ looks to roar again with Sofapaka

Respected coach Robert Matano reckons re-joining Sofapaka, a team that fought against relegation for long spells in the Football Kenya Federation Premier League, is not a downgrade to him.

Matano, who has won the most titles in the local league, believes he will certainly turn around the team’s fortunes. 

Matano, 60, returned to Sofapaka as the head coach on Friday, barely two days after parting ways with giants Tusker.  He penned a one-year contract with the ‘Batoto ba Mungu’.

Afterwards, he declared his readiness to take on the task at hand.

“Sofapaka is not a small team. Even ‘Zico’ (Zedekiah Otieno), who is a respected coach was here, was he coaching a small team?” Matano, who is nicknamed ‘The Lion’ for his cobative touchline antics, said.

“I don’t care whether Sofapaka is grappling with financial challenges or not. What is important is for me to practice my coaching and build the team. No coach goes to a team to joyride but to win titles.”

Matano is remembered for winning the 2009 league title with Sofapaka in the club’s maiden season  in the top-flight league.

The no-nonsense coach led Tusker to three FKF-PL titles – in 2012, 2020/21 season, and in the 2021/22. The veteran coach first joined the brewers in the 2012 season before leaving a year later.

He rejoined Tusker in 2018 from AFC Leopards.

“I’m a qualified coach and joining Sofapaka is not a backward step in my profession. I coached the team from (second-tier) Nationwide League (now renamed National Super League) and led it to its first title in its first season in FKF-PL in 2009,” said the coach.

“The players I had then were not as good as the ones whom I now have in the team, so I’m optimistic this team will win titles. I’m a winner, my target is also to replicate the performance here,” he added.

In the last 10 seasons of the FKF-PL, Sofapaka have been blowing both hot and cold, with their second-place finish in 2017 being the closest that they came to winning the title again.

At the time, Gor Mahia won the title with 74 points while the ‘Batoto ba Mungu’ were runners-up with 55 points.

The team narrowly survived the axe last season after defeating Naivas FC 2-0 on aggregate in the FKF-PL/National Super League play-offs.

Sofapaka finished 16th with 36 points in the 2023/24 FKF-PL where Gor were crowned champions with 73 points.

With the return of Matano, Sofapaka’s president Elly Kalekwa hopes to have solved the team’s coaching problems. Last season, the club was handled by several coaches including former players Ezekiel Akwana and Burundian Francis Harigingo.

Meanwhile, Kisii based Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) side Shabana FC has acquired the services of Harambee Stars Midfielder Cliff Nyakeya.

Nyakeya is among the first recruits by coach Sammy “Pamzo” Omollo as he prepares the team for the new season. Last season, Shabana narrowly missed relegation.

“We are pleased to announce that talented attacking midfielder Cliff Nyakeya has joined us. We welcome Nyakeya to Shabana and look forward to the contributions he will make to our team,” a statement signed by the club’s secretary-general, Elizaphan Kerama, said on Sunday.

In June last year, when the team gained promotion to the top-tier league, it tried to sign the highly rated midfielder but their efforts were unsuccessful.

“Nyakeya is a good player. His record speaks for itself and I am optimistic he will help us get some crucial goals in the upcoming campaign,” Laitred Oyori who is a member of Shabana’s coaching unit, said. Apart from AFC leopards, Nyakeya has had stints at Mathare United, Gor Mahia Youth FC, and the  defunct Wazito FC.

Reports by by Victor Otieno, Cecil Odongo, and Wycliffe Nyaberi