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WILL POSTA RANGERS WIN THEIR MAIDEN LEAGUE TITLE THIS YEAR?

 After twelve rounds of games, the free scoring Posta Rangers sat pretty at the top of the Kenya Premier League table. Their form; imperious, their attack; second to none, and their pockets deep enough to swallow a dinosour. Everything seemed to be working in their favour. With no real rivals to condend with, no derbies to cotest in and no weight of fan's expectations to deal with, nothing stood on Posta Rangers' way except perharps their inexperience. And while they have no fanbase except perhaps the employees of Kenya Postal Corporation, they have a real buzz around them. Neutrals would want them to win this year's Kenya Premier League title, if not for anything else, just to break the Gor Mahia - Tusker monotony. But will they?

After 12 rounds of games Posta Rangers had scored a league high 18 goals in 12 matches and boasted an impressive point total of 25 points, one more than the defending champions (guess who?) Gor Mahia. This means they (Rangers) have already surpassed half the points they garnered the whole of last season yet we are barely a quarter of the way through this season. Seems like Posta are finally good at something other than just delivering letters. Their Coach,  John Kamau Kenyatta, is in high spirits even though, credit to him, he downplays any chances of winning the league. Think about it: Posta Rangers do not have to endure the finacial struggles that Gor Mahia, Sofapaka, AFC Leaopards and Wazito deal with every year. They do not have to deal with the worry that their best players might ditch them for a better paying team and they do not have direct rivals. What could possibly go wrong? It turns out that a lot could. Ever since the 12th leg of the league, Posta Rangers have found wins hard to come by. They have since surredndered the league leadership to (who else?) Gor Mahia and as I write this piece, they sit.. (you wont guess it) third on the league table! The only question is, "What has gone wrong for Posta?"

Posta Rangers do not have to endure the finacial struggles that Gor Mahia deals with every year. They do not have to deal with the worry that their best players might ditch them for a better paying team and they do not have direct rivals. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, a lot has gone wrong. Posta is finding it hard to score goals. They seem not to be able to grind out results like the recent title winning sides; Tusker and Gor Mahia, and their defence is proving to be a soft underbelly. Gor Mahia easily leap-frogged them. And then surprisngly, Kakamega Homeboyz leap-frogged them too. Posta Rangers have failed to win any league match since they last beat Nairobi City Stars, drawing with Tusker and Leopards in that little run. Instead, it's Kakamega Homeboys that Gor Mahia has to worry about, as it seems at least for now. The side has put together a run of five straight wins which is by far the best of any side this season. They have scored a league high 20 goals and have conceded only ten goals (second only to Gor Mahia). Gor Mahia on the other hand is struggling to win matches. Though still the only side yet to taste defeat this season, Gor Mahia lack as it seems, the pedgree to string together a run of wins which is the true mark of a champion.

John Kamau, Ranger's head coach, has 12 years of experience coaching in the Kenya Premier League with different sides but the closest he has ever come to winning the coveted title was way back in 2013 when he came up fifth with Thika United. That should be a motivation rather than a hindrance. But looking at the situation as it is now, it is increasingly evident that his best days are behind him. Not every coach gets to guide their team to a league title. But if John Kamau is to lay his hands on the KPL gold, this could be his best chance yet. The challenge is to galvanize his side and put together a run of performances similar to the one that propelled them to the top of the KPL table earlier this season. And this must begin this Sunday when they play at home agaisnt the in-form Kakamega Homeboyz.

After all is said and done, we are probably going to witness a new League champion come the end of this season. It will be 15 years since any side other than Gor Mahia and Tusker last won the title and all the indications point to that run comming to an end if/when Kakamega Homeboys win it. And they would deserve it. Patrick Odhiambo is an experienced coach and has built a team capable of anything. They have earned not just my admiration but also my respect and best wishes, though I'm sure they wont need them.


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