AFC Leopards head coach Tom Juma stresses depth importance ahead of crunch KCB fixture

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FKFPL AFC Leopards head coach Tom Juma stresses depth importance ahead of crunch KCB fixture

Mark Kinyanjui 08:34 - 01.09.2023

Last season, a lack of adequate squad depth cost Ingwe dear in the matches that really mattered, contributing enormously to their disappointing end to the season.

AFC Leopards head coach Tom Gazza Juma insists that his players are ‘important’ and ‘good’ after his substitutions nearly grabbed a dramatic last-gasp winner during their 0-0 draw against FC Talanta in their opening 2023/2024 FKFPL match.

Ingwe struggled to break down a resilient FC Talanta but nearly netted the winning goal in the dying seconds of extra time after a couple of the attacking changes he made injected some directness and desire to break the deadlock, which pegged back Talanta.

Last season, a lack of adequate squad depth cost Ingwe dear in the matches that really mattered. Juma appeared to suggest that every player will have a key role in some capacity as the season goes on after the club managed to bring in 17 fresh faces following the lifting of their transfer ban.

Speaking after the match, the newly-appointed head coach insisted that every player is important after he was quizzed on how the team looked towards the end of the match is the way they should have started the match.

“Every player is important and every player is good. We started well, played well and generally, everyone is important,” Juma said.

Juma appeared to suggest that each player will aid in playing a part in helping return the club to its glory days ‘whether they play 90 minutes or just five’.

“Whether you play five minutes or you play 90 minutes, the objective is one (to help a team win matches).”

Leopards will face Bernard Mwalala’s KCB in their second FKFPL match on Friday afternoon and Juma expects ‘a much better’ showing than in their underwhelming opening match game.

“Every game is about planning and working because KCB is a different opponent with a different threat. We will sit down and plan how to approach that game but hopefully, it will be much better than today’s (Sunday) game.”

Addressing injury concerns, Juma says every player is available for the upcoming matches.

“Every player is available for selection so anytime for the coming matches, everyone should be available.”

Leopards are eighth on just one solitary point, with no goals found nor conceded.