Ingwe boss Dan Shikanda has promised to deliver league title next season but the talented winger wants his teammates to avoid previous mishaps to achieve the dream.
AFC Leopards forward Jaffari Owiti has challenged his teammates to learn from last season’s mistakes if they are to stand a chance of lifting a first league title since 1998 in the forthcoming campaign.
Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda this week pledged to deliver the title next season, saying that the lifting of the transfer ban would help the club make changes to help them achieve that dream.
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AFC Leopards last won the league title in 1998 and are coming from a forgettable 2022/2023 season.
Ingwe’s transfer ban, which was imposed on them in 2021, prevented them from making signings, leaving them with no choice but to sign trialists to see them through the last two campaigns.
However, they have tied down head coach Patrick Aussems to a new contract, and are working on transfer deals to bring in the necessary depth, which was their Achilles heel following a recurrent state of injuries and suspensions to key players last season.
Owiti believes that Shikanda’s sentiments are the mindset the club should be having in order to get back to the big time.
"It is good to have that mindset because everyone starts the season aiming to win the league,” Owiti said, adding: "By the time the league starts, we should be in a situation where we have organised ourselves well."
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“If we have depth, our preparation will be easier. You cannot challenge for the title with such a shallow squad like the one we had before. If we add some quality players to the ranks and beef up the depth, we will be in a better position that we were last season.”
The 25-year old explosive winger has also advised his teammates to take responsibility for their own performances, and not point the finger of blame at others.
“We only have ourselves to blame from what happened last season. We cannot blame the coach. We hope we will make amends from the mistakes we made last season in order to grow," he said.
“We should be in the top five positions minimum. We want to win the league after years. We have been talking about winning the title for years, but you cannot just lift the title by talking.
“We did not finish far away from the top five. We have to take responsibility. Hopefully, the changes made will help us edge closer to lifting it."
Leopards have not challenged for the title since 2012 under then head coach Jan Koops.
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