•Mombasa Stars had started their pre-season training late and had only four weeks of training.
•The extension by two weeks means they have now had six weeks of pre-season training, which is ideal for a team.
Image: HANDOUT
The postponement of the National Super League season by two weeks was a blessing in disguise for Mombasa Stars.
Mombasa Stars had started their pre-season training late and had only four weeks of training.
The extension by two weeks means they have now had six weeks of pre-season training, which is ideal for a team.
However, the financial nightmare that has seen the team lose their top talents at the end of every season continues to haunt them.
“We do not have a sponsor and we depend on well-wishers for our participation in the league. This is not sustainable,” team manager Kenneth Juma said.
Juma spoke on Saturday during the unveiling of 13 players signed for the 2024/2025 season. He said it is usually hard to hold on to the best players without offering anything tangible.
“We understand them. They have mouths to feed and other personal needs. Some have had to walk long distances to get to training and I appreciate their efforts,” Juma said.
A case in point is Joel Kihara, who, despite the team’s financial struggles, was the second-top scorer in the NSL last season. He has been signed by the KPL side, Murang’a Seal.
Mombasa Stars have signed Sam Nathan from Kisumu Hotstars and Chirangu Masudi from Mombasa Allstars to replace Kihara. “We believe these two will help us achieve our target of finishing in the top three,” Juma said.
Midfield Jacob Muchiri (unattached), Rodgers Okumu (Simba Apparel), Fahim Omar (Congo Boys), Ali Omeyar (Kishada) and Abdulrahman Ahmed f (Mombasa Allstars) are the other recruits.
Last season, they soaked in 44 goals and hope to sort out the problem by bringing in more defensive midfielders and defenders.
They include Eddie Basil and Timothy Omondi from Shimanzi FC, Hawkins Ademba (SS Assad), Sammy Baya (Mombasa Allstars), Michael Gabriel (Samwest Blackboots) and goalkeeper Iddi Rashid from Congo Boys.
“My dream was to play for Mombasa Stars. I will do whatever I can to help seal the leaks in defence and ensure we concede as few goals as possible. Strikers win matches but defenders win titles for the team,” said Basil, a defensive midfielder who can also play in central defence.
The 24-year-old Basil is strong in the air and with an ability to read games and this has helped him score crucial goals for his previous clubs Shimanzi and TUM Dynamos. Most of the new signings are from lower tiers including regional,
He said the strategy is to win at least three-quarters of the matches in the league, which is 28. “That is how my players have psyched themselves despite the challenges they face,” he said.