The former Leopards Secretary General feels Ingwe would still be a dominant force had successive regimes and players put success on the pitch over personal gain.
Former AFC Leopards Secretary General Mzee Steve Ogalle feels the club officials and players have got their priorities wrong and that is why they have been success starved.
Leopards are celebrating their 60th anniversary this month but it is now 26 years since their last league title and seven since they won a major trophy.
It is in contrast to the 1970s and 1980s when Leopards were a dominant force and challenged for trophies both locally on the continent.
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According to Ogalle, who was Leopards Secretary General, between 1970 and 1975 under the chairmanship of Peter Shiuka, Ingwe officials and players have found success difficult to achieve because they have put commercial interests over winning trophies.
“AFC Leopards is a giant and famous club just like Orlando Pirates in South Africa, TP Mazembe in DR Congo, Asante Kotoko in Ghana, Yanga and Simba in Tanzania but we do not have much to show,” Ogalle told Pulse Sports.
“It is a shame that AFC Leopards are drawing against teams like Murang’a Seal that came around recently.
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“To us the AFC Leopards family, money comes second, we want to win the trophies. But today, even the players have put money first and it has killed the morale.”
Ogalle also feels Ingwe’s successive regimes have let down the club by not getting in the right players in addition to neglection the youth team which would be acting as a feeder to the senior side.
“The biggest problem currently is poor recruitment. During our time, we used to go all round in the various schools and get raw football talent and we could also get players from the region like Peter Kirumira from Kampala and others from Tanzania,” he added.
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“They also need to pump money and time in the youth team because this is what will feed the senior side. If they do this, they will not have to always buy expensive because there will be a talent factory already at the club.”
Leopards are currently eighth on the FKF Premier League table after a revival in 2024 saw them move away from the relegation zone following a 10-game unbeaten run before Tusker FC stopped them a week ago.
Their only realistic chance for a trophy this season is the FKF Cup where they will take on Shabana in the Round of 16 on March 31, seeking to stay on course to win it for the first time since 2017, and earn a ticket to the CAF Confederation Cup.
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