'Only a miracle can keep Sofapaka up' - warns former Harambee Stars coach

Former Harambee Stars head coach Twahir Muhiddin has delivered a bleak assessment of Sofapaka FC’s survival hopes, warning that the club faces an uphill task to avoid relegation with just eight matches remaining in the FKF Premier League season.

The 2009 league champions have endured a difficult campaign and now find themselves rooted to the bottom of the 18-team standings. After 26 matches, Sofapaka have managed only three wins and sit on 15 points, leaving them ten points adrift of safety. Even the recent appointment of Edward Manoah has done little to inspire confidence as the club battles to escape the drop.

Muhiddin, who previously coached Bandari FC, believes the situation may already be beyond recovery for Batoto ba Mungu. Still, he maintains that the relegation scrap remains highly competitive, with several teams caught in the fight.

“Almost six teams in this league are in danger of facing the drop, but it will go down to the wire to determine which two will be relegated,” he told Citizen Digital.

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Sofapaka turned to Manoah, a former assistant under Muhiddin, in a bid to revive their fortunes. The two previously worked together at Oserian Fastac during a successful spell for the Naivasha-based side. Despite that familiarity, Muhiddin admits the challenge ahead is immense.

“Sofapaka will need a miracle to avoid relegation. It is a tough assignment for my friend Edward Manoah, taking over when they are already in a dangerous position,” he said.

“But you never know, there might still be a miracle for them to survive.”

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Beyond Sofapaka’s struggles, Muhiddin also expressed surprise at the predicament facing Bidco United F.C., who remain stuck in the relegation zone despite possessing what he considers a capable squad and technical bench.

“I am shocked to see a team like Bidco in the relegation zone. They have a good coach and a good team, but it might be due to off-the-field issues affecting them,” Muhiddin observed. “There are what we call motivational factors, which influence performance, and this could be part of the problem,” he said.

Adjusting to life in the top tier has proven challenging for APS Bomet F.C, but Twahir Muhiddin believes their situation should be viewed with understanding rather than criticism.

“For APS Bomet, we cannot be too critical because it is their first season. This is a period for them to acclimatise to the environment and build a team that can compete effectively in future,” he explained.