Kenyan Women’s Premier League side Kayole Starlets have overhauled the playing unit in an ambitious move to compete for top honours in the 2020/2021 season.

Five years since being promoted to the top tier, Kayole has struggled to impress save for 2017 where they finished fourth, and now coach Joshua Sakwa says time is ripe for them to rise to the occasion.

“The good thing is we have managed to remain in the league, but the struggle has been real.

Battling relegation has been part of our show in the league but going into the new season we want to change tides,” Sakwa told People Sport. Sakwa, said that complacency in the playing unit coupled with acute financial constraints have been to their failure to perform well.

“Finances have been a big challenge for us. I remember last season, for example, we had to send eight players to Vihiga to avoid giving out a walkover. 

Besides that, some players who have been in the team for long and need to be pushed to work hard to get results for the team,” added coach Sakwa.

Sakwa said due to lack of dedication by some old players, they decided to disband the whole team and recruit afresh asking all players (old and new) to go for trials for a chance to play for the team in the new season.

He said already 15 players have been recruited with 10 more still to be signed as he looks forward to rebuilding a new Kayole Starlets with  around 25 quality players with ambitions to compete for top honours.

In the new restructure, Kayole have roped in top-notch players in the form of Harambee Starlets Juliet Andipo (defender) from Thika Queens, defender Foscah Nashivanda from Zetech who won Cecafa with Harambee Starlets, Faith Awour (attacking midfielder) from Zetech, Faith Atieno (midfielder) from Wadadia, lethal striker Josephine Nana from Mathare United Women and new talent Clarice Arony from MKU though with no league experience but very talented says Sakwa.Besides the new players, team management has promoted 15-year old midfielder 

Surpass 2017

“We’re excited to get the services of these well experienced players unlike previous seasons that we had no big names in the team.

This time around, we have a good team and we’re, therefore, in the league to compete and not to participate, with our target being top three.

We must surpass our 2017 performance,” said Sakwa.

He said that though they have not released any player yet, those that will be dropped and fail to get clubs elsewhere, will join team B to feature in the regional league.