Sofapaka head coach Abdalla Juma/SOFAPAKA
Newly appointed Sofapaka head coach Abdalla Juma has struck an optimistic and defiant tone after taking charge of Batoto ba Mungu at their lowest ebb in recent Kenyan Premier League history.
Juma has promised to fight relentlessly to lift the club off the foot of the table. Sofapaka currently sit at the bottom of the log with a paltry 14 points from 19 matches, and a staggering 26 points behind league leaders Gor Mahia.
Their struggles deepened following a 3-0 defeat to Gor Mahia at Nyayo Stadium over the weekend, a result that stretched their winless run to 11 matches and ultimately cost Ezekiel Akwana his job.
Juma, who had been serving as Akwana’s assistant, was handed the reins as the club’s leadership moved swiftly to arrest a season spiralling toward relegation.
“This is a very difficult moment for Sofapaka, but it is not hopeless,” Juma said after his unveiling. “I would not have accepted this role if I did not believe the situation could be turned around.”
The veteran tactician acknowledged the enormity of the task ahead but insisted that survival remains firmly within reach.
“We are bottom, yes, and the points gap is worrying,” he admitted. “But the league is still open, and with discipline, belief and hard work, we can still fight our way out.”
Sofapaka’s season has been defined by inconsistency and a lack of cutting edge, despite reinforcements brought in during the mid-season transfer window. The club has managed just three wins in the entire campaign, leaving them dangerously exposed in the relegation zone.
Juma, however, believes the squad has more quality than the table suggests. “When you look at these players every day in training, you see ability,” he said. “What has been missing is confidence, structure and sometimes concentration. Those are things we can correct.”
The new coach emphasised that his immediate priority is restoring belief in the dressing room.
“The first thing is the mindset,” Juma explained. “Players must stop feeling sorry for themselves. This is Sofapaka, a club with history, and we must start behaving like it again.”
He added, “I have told the boys that every match from now on is a final. We cannot afford fear. We must play with courage.”
Juma replaces Ezekiel Akwana, whose second stint at the club ended abruptly after a dramatic decline from last season’s seventh-place finish, when Sofapaka amassed 46 points.
Despite strong backing from the club hierarchy and his deep ties to Sofapaka’s philosophy, results did not match expectations
Outlining his approach, Juma promised tactical clarity and accountability.
“We will simplify our game,” he said. “Defensive mistakes have cost us heavily, so organisation is key. We must learn to suffer when necessary and take our chances when they come.”
He was quick to downplay any sense of personal rivalry or blame. “I have a lot of respect for coach Akwana,” Juma noted. “Football is cruel sometimes. What matters now is the future of the club, not looking back.”
Juma’s appointment brings a wealth of experience. He is widely respected in Kenyan football circles for his work at Thika United, where he spent eight years building a competitive side and a strong youth system, guiding the club to a historic third-place finish in 2009.
He later revived KCB FC, lifting them from 10th to fourth in his debut season, and has coached Western Stima, Chemelil Sugar, Bidco United and Vihiga Bullets. Known for developing talent on modest budgets, Juma believes Sofapaka can tap into that same spirit.
“I have always trusted young players,” he said. “If you give them responsibility and belief, they surprise you. This club has always valued youth, and I want to reconnect with that identity.”
He continued: “We may not have the biggest budget, but we can have the biggest heart.”
Juma also addressed the pressure that comes with steering a relegation fight, particularly after his short-lived spell at Murang’a Seal in 2024 ended in dismissal. “Pressure is part of this job,” he said calmly. “I have been here before. What matters is staying clear-minded and focusing on solutions, not noise.”
The coach called on fans to rally behind the team during the difficult weeks ahead. “I understand their frustration,” he said. “But this is the time we need them most. When the fans push, players run that extra yard.”
Looking ahead, Juma refused to make grand promises beyond hard work and commitment. “I cannot promise miracles,” he said. “But I promise honesty, effort and belief until the last match.”
He concluded with a message of quiet resolve: “Sofapaka is wounded, but not dead. We are still fighting.”
As Batoto ba Mungu brace for the second half of the season, Abdalla Juma’s calm confidence and deep experience may prove crucial in a battle that now defines their campaign — survival at all costs.
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