Kenya Police coach vows to teach KCB a lesson in finals
Kenya Police head coach Salim Babu remained bullish that his side will lift their maiden trophy by beating KCB in the final of the Mozzart Bet Cup on June 29, 2024.
The law enforcers qualified for their first-ever final in the domestic competition following a 1-0 victory against AFC Leopards in a replayed semi-final clash at Police Sacco Stadium on Monday.
The outcome saw them set up a final date with KCB, who had qualified earlier from the other semi-final after defeating Kariobangi Sharks 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 result in regular time.
Babu, who has had a superb season with Police since taking charge of the team from Zdravko Logarusic, believes his side have done enough to win the trophy, whose winner walks home with Ksh2million from the title sponsors, and further warned the Bankers to prepare for a tough final.
“Our target is to win the trophy, we don’t have any other target, we know against KCB it will be a tough game, they have worked hard to reach the final, but our main target is to lift the trophy, nothing else, we want the trophy,” Babu told People Sports.
On coming up against a coach (Bernard Mwalala), who has won the trophy before with Bandari FC, Babu said: “It doesn’t scare me nor my team, I have my plans for the final, we will play an open game to score, if we get one or two goals but win the trophy, that will be okay.
“If he (Mwalala) won the trophy before, that was then and in the past, we are in a different year, and it is good for people to know, we are winning the trophy, it will be good for me to win the trophy, you know when a coach wins a trophy it good for him, I will be going for it.”
On whether he is under pressure from Police management to deliver the trophy having invested heavily in the playing unit during the last transfer window, the former Sony Sugar coach said: “I am not under any pressure because I know what I am doing, if you don’t know what you are doing as a coach then you will be under pressure, I am very confident, I have my plans for the team and I know we will succeed during the final.”
Babu explained his plans before they face KCB in the final: “We have three league games to conclude the season, I want us to focus on the game, I know Gor Mahia have won the league so after the matches we will sit down and shift focus to the final, we draw a proper plan on how we will tackle the final after that then we will know what next.”
Police’s season saw them challenge Gor Mahia for the title before back-to-back defeats against AFC Leopards and Tusker ended their hopes. They are now sitting third on the 18-team table with 54 points, 13 fewer than K’Ogalo, who have already been crowned as champions.
