Former Kenya Cup champions Impala have set an ambitious plan to gain promotion to the top tier next season
Head coach Chris Majale said the target for the upcoming 2023-2024 season will be to win the second-tier championship and regain elite status for this upcoming season.
“When we started our pre-season two months ago, we had a meeting with the boys and we agreed we must gain promotion to the Kenya Cup and regain the lost glory," Majale said on Wednesday.
The Ngong Road outfit finished fifth last season in the championship— missing out on the semifinal playoffs on head-to-head after losing out to South Coast Pirates in the course of the season. Both sides finished with 34 points.
Champions Nondies, runners-up Kisumu, Daystar Falcons and South Coast Pirates progressed to the final four at the expense of Impala.
The tactician said their loss to Kabarak University, Kisumu, and South Coast Pirates hurt their chances of promotion.
“When I look back at last season, the defeats we had to Kabarak and South Coast Pirates really hurt our chances. This is because, at times, we could not raise a full squad to play those teams. However, all that is now in the past and I believe the team we have now can go all the way and gain promotion” added Majale.
He said during the season the setpiece and defence have been their main undoing.
“ From last season, our scrum and lineout did not function accordingly. So we are improving on that in training and we are working on our defence to ensure we don't concede soft tries to the opposition,” he noted.
Majale termed the upcoming Impala Floodlit tournament as useful in gauging their progress.
“ For us, it all be development and preparation for the championship. This season, our eyes are on qualification to the Kenya Cup and I believe we will take some lessons from the tournament," said Majale.
He said the club will announce the new signings very soon. “There are a couple of players we have brought on board and once the transfer window is opened, we will unveil them," he said.
Impala face Catholic Monks in the quarterfinal of the Floodlit tournament on Saturday.