Why Nairobi United settled on former AFC Leopards coach after parting ways with Oduor

Nairobi United chairman Osman Abdi has shed light on the decision to appoint experienced Belgian tactician Patrick Aussems as head coach ahead of the 2026/27 season, saying the move was driven by the club’s growing ambition to compete for major honours.

Despite guiding Nairobi United to a respectable fourth-place finish in the FKF Premier League, coach Godfrey “Solo” Oduor parted ways with the club at the end of the season, paving the way for the arrival of Aussems, a coach renowned for his success across the African continent.

Aussems, who previously managed AFC Leopards between 2021 and 2023, earned widespread admiration for implementing an attractive, attacking style of football.

His résumé also includes spells at Tanzanian giants Simba SC and Singida Black Stars, among other clubs.

According to Abdi, Nairobi United's desire to transform from league contenders into genuine title challengers made the appointment of a coach with a proven winning pedigree a necessity.

“Our ambition for next season is to win trophies, including the league title and the Mozzart Bet Cup. We felt that to achieve those objectives, we needed a coach with a proven track record at the highest level, and Patrick Aussems perfectly fits that profile,” said Abdi.

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“He is a highly experienced and successful coach. We closely followed his work at AFC Leopards, Simba and other clubs across Africa, and we believe he is the right person to lead this project and help us achieve our goals.”

Abdi was quick to emphasise that the coaching change should not be interpreted as a criticism of Oduor, whom he praised for his professionalism and contribution to the club's progress.

“Coach Solo conducted himself professionally throughout his time with us and did an excellent job. We appreciate his contribution and wish him nothing but success in his coaching career, which we believe has a bright future ahead,” he said.

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“The changes were not made because he did anything wrong. Rather, we felt the club needed a different direction, someone with greater experience and a stronger record of winning trophies. That is what informed our decision.”

With expectations rising ahead of the new campaign, Abid assured supporters that the club's leadership would fully back Aussems in his quest to deliver silverware.

“We will give Coach Aussems our full support and provide him with all the resources he needs to succeed. We are excited about the project ahead and optimistic that he will deliver positive results and help bring trophies to the club.”

The appointment signals Nairobi United's intent to mount a serious challenge for domestic honours next season to add to the Mozzart Bet Cup, which they won last year.

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