Former AFC Leopards Captain Praises Patrick Aussems' Impact, Explains Fallout With Tomas Trucha

Former AFC Leopards captain Washington Munene has reflected on his time under coaches Patrick Aussems and Tomas Trucha, drawing sharp contrasts between the two.

Washington Munene, who first joined AFC Leopards on loan from Wazito FC in September 2019 before sealing a permanent move in October 2020, played under several managers during his spell at the club.

Speaking on the Tiki Taka Show, he highlighted the positive impact Patrick Aussems had on his career while also shedding light on his fallout with Thomas Trucha.

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Washington Munene revealed that Patrick Aussems changed his mindset when it came to his football career. In his first year, Patrick Aussems guided the team to the final of the FKF Cup in 2021, where they finished as runners-up.

Patrick Aussems has also been credited with giving opportunities to young, inexperienced players, helping to build a more aggressive and attractive style of football.

However, upon his departure, Patrick Aussems was reportedly owed a significant amount in salary arrears. Despite that, Washington Munene insisted that Patrick Aussems was a game-changer for AFC Leopards.

Washington Munene revealed that Patrick Aussems always gave the players a chance to live their own lives off the pitch. He introduced a different kind of coaching that the players quickly adapted.

“My first highlight was being trusted to play in the derby, and then also when Patrick Aussems came in. For him, there were no shortcuts. Being in the squad meant you followed his playing style, and it was a highlight because I came to understand a different type of football,” Washington Munene revealed.

“We used to train differently, relate differently, and he would also give players responsibilities. He was a coach who had passed the stage of scouting the players like children. To be honest, a coach cannot change a player at such a big age, for instance, telling them to stop drinking alcohol.

“Aussems always looked at the talent as long as you were responsible. Life off the pitch was different, and he used to encourage togetherness.”

However, Washington Munene admitted that when Patrick Aussems left, a lot of players also departed the club.

Upon the arrival of Tomas Trucha, Washington Munene was excited to be reunited with the former AFC Leopards coach, but this time around, things were different.

He explained that Tomas Trucha came with a totally different approach that players were uncomfortable with, and being the captain, he felt the need to speak about it.

However, Tomas Trucha did not take that positively. After being out due to an injury, Tomas Trucha gave Cliffton Miheso captaining duties without Washington Munene’s knowledge and that is where the trouble started.

“When Tomas Trucha came back, I was so interested and used to tell guys that he was a nice coach and his techniques were simple. However, he came with a different approach, and I was not for whatever he wanted. I tried telling him, but he took it personally,” Washington Munene said.

“I was out for five months, and I had declined in my pecking order, and the coach felt the need to give someone else the captaincy. I feel like he did not do it in the right way; he appointed Miheso and did not brief me.

“There were some meetings we used to go as a team, and I still thought I was the captain. We never used to see eye to eye with the coach, and after I got well, I was always on the bench.”

It was such struggles that forced Washington Munene to find other sources of income and keep himself busy, before he eventually retired from playing football.