Beleaguered Aussems shields his charges

AFC Leopards tactician Patrick Aussems has come to the defense of his players after suffering a fourth consecutive loss in the hands of Sofapaka over the weekend.

Since playing to a barren draw against KCB, Ingwe have fallen to Gor Mahia, Bandari, Ulinzi Stars, and Sofapaka.

The Belgian revealed that it was the first time in both his coaching and playing careers that he was losing four matches in a row, but noted that the team at his disposal is relatively young and should be spared the heat.

The former Simba SC tactician also urged his players not to get drowned by the losses so far given their quality and is confident that there will be changes in their performance by the end of the season.

"It is the first time in my career as a player and as a coach that I am losing four matches in a row. But you know we have a very young team. Just because some players joined us last week does not mean that we will change just like that. We have to work and we will see what will happen. We have quality in the squad so now I just want the young players not to be so much disappointed by this defeat because the pressure will come. We will see what happens at the end of the season," he said.

Ahead of the international break, Ingwe will be almost a full house in routine club training as they do not have any player in the national team Harambee Stars, with their only exclusion being Saad Musa who has been called up to South Sudan's national team ahead of their friendlies against Gambia and Algeria.

Aussems is looking forward to using that break to the maximum to ensure perfect integration between the players who have been in the team since the season started and those that joined recently.

"I am happy that we will have two weeks to work and prepare with the team because the new players need to know my philosophy and what I want from them," he added.

Upon resumption of domestic league action, AFC Leopards will take on Kenya Police before playing Wazito in their last match in November, two teams that have been struggling in the league and give Ingwe a nice opportunity to bounce back with wins.