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Although AFC Leopards beat Bidco 1-0 in Thika, the laughable state of the ground made it difficult for them to play as they ideally wanted.
AFC Leopards head coach, Thomas Trucha, has voiced strong concerns over the current state of Kenyan football, bemoaning the ‘horrible’ status of the Thika Municipality Stadium.
His remarks came on the back of a narrow 1-0 win against Bidco United at the groundmarking the first victory over their opponents in three years. Despite the crucial three points, Trucha's frustrations were evident as he critiqued both the quality of football and the dire condition of Thika Stadium.
"To be honest, I have a mixture of feelings because Kenyan football in 2024—do you want this? Did you like the football? I don’t like it,” Trucha admitted to Citizen TV.
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His disappointment highlighted the significant gap between the level of football he envisions for AFC Leopards and the reality of the local league.
Describing the venue’s condition as unacceptable for professional football, the coach pointed out how such poor environments impact the performance and morale of players.
"The facilities are terrible," Trucha stated bluntly, even admitting AFC Leopards' training ground in Kawangware was in far better condition than Thika Stadium. In February this year, the county government pledged to renovate the standards of the stadium to a significantly better status, but seemingly, the upgrades have been less than satisfactory.
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"You need to follow the rules, that you need dressing rooms. When you want to relieve yourself, where do you go? On the tires of your cars and the bus, am I right?” he remarked, shedding light on the lack of basic amenities like dressing rooms and bathrooms at the municipal stadium.
The poor condition of the Thika Stadium has been a long-standing issue. In fact, the stadium was previously banned from hosting Kenya Premier League (KPL) matches due to its dilapidated state, only to have the ban lifted following partial upgrades.
Despite his concerns, Trucha did acknowledge the progress AFC Leopards have made this season compared to previous ones.
The win against Bidco United, although narrow, showed signs of improvement, though he stressed that the team still has much to work on, particularly in their finishing and goal-scoring capabilities.
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