Okoth sets ambitious plan for Shabana despite early season struggles

Shabana FC head coach Sam Okoth has set a top-ten finish target for his charges in the 2023–24 season, despite the early season’s struggles that his team is currently grappling with.

Five matches into the new campaign, the team remains winless in the league, with three points picked from three drawn matches.

The other two games have ended in stoppage-time defeats for the Glamour Boys.

Last Sunday, his team played out a one-all draw with the AFC Leopards at the Ulinzi Sports Complex.

It is the only game that his team did not concede a goal in the 90th minute, and many would argue that it was a decent outing for the club that’s making a return to the top tier after 17 years in the lower leagues.

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Queried about his team’s ambitions this campaign, the former Kenyan international said, a top-ten finish was a realistic target.

“We want to be in the top ten bracket; I think that will be a good place to finish, and it is a target that I feel is achievable. We are ambitious, and we don’t just want to play to avoid relegation; it will be good to be safe, but we have to play with our goal for the season. Otherwise, we will be too comfortable with just being safe, which is dangerous,” he stated.

Okoth spoke of his team’s timidity in front of goal so far this season.

The Glamour Boys have scored just three goals and have not scored more than once this campaign.

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It is a trend that he believes has proved costly for his team and wants brought to an end. He wants his team to make the most of the opportunities created.

"Every time, we always create chances but never take advantage. If we can defend well considering we have taken a lot of time working on how not to concede often, we have to see now how we can also score,” he stated.

“In all the games we have played, we have created chances but not capitalized on them. We are working on it and hope it will improve gradually.”

Shabana are scheduled to play Tusker this Friday at the Kasarani Stadium.

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