AFC Leopards head coach Fred Ambani has called on Kenyan top-flight clubs to end their over-reliance on foreign tacticians, arguing that local coaches are capable of delivering elite results if granted the same patience and resources as their international counterparts.
Speaking on Thursday afternoon at the Kenya School of Law grounds after being crowned the Sportpesa League Coach of the Month for March, Ambani, who has now won the monthly accolade twice this season, noted a glaring double standard in how club managements treat coaches urging for a shift in mindset to support Kenyan tacticians.
“I would like to say that we should minimize the reliance on foreign coaches. We should believe in our local coaches and give them time. When a foreign coach comes, people tend to give them time and be patient, but when it is a local coach, people are not patient. We want Kenyans to stop that. Support our own local coaches and give them what it takes,” Ambani stated.
AFC Leopards coach Ambani explains why SportPesa League clubs should stop relying on foreign coaches
The tactician credited Ingwe’s impressive March run,which saw them win four out of five matches to a stable environment created by the club’s management. He emphasized that administrative support and the psychological well-being of the players are the true drivers of their title charge.
“One of the most important things is that these players have been performing because they are paid on time. Salaries are paid on time, so they have nothing to complain about. When they come for training, their minds are fully focused on performing. If you are working and not being paid, you only put in half the effort. But when things are coming the way they should, you put in more. It makes it easy to focus,” he explained.
Beyond the financial aspects, the former AFC Leopards forward highlighted the strong bond he has cultivated with his squad. Under his tenure, the team has shown a renewed tactical discipline and a one match at a time mentality that has kept them firmly in the title race.
“My relationship with the players has also made me very close to them. It has made them realize what it takes to win,” he added.
With just seven matches left in the 2025/26 season, AFC Leopards find themselves firmly in the title race, trailing arch-rivals Gor Mahia by a narrow margin of just two points.
Both sides will have a weekend of rest after being eliminated from the preliminary round of the FKF cup competition, leaving them out of action during this weekend’s FKF Cup fixtures.