Okidi took over in October after the club decided to part ways with Sammy Omollo ‘Pamzo’ while rooted near the bottom of the league table.
Shabana head coach Peter Okidi has outlined his ambitious targets for the remainder of the season, as the club continues its remarkable resurgence in the FKF Premier League.
After a sluggish start that saw them flirting with the relegation zone, Shabana has staged a dramatic turnaround, now emerging as serious title contenders.
The club’s fortunes changed following the arrival of Okidi, who replaced Sammy ‘Pamzo’ Omollo after a string of poor results. The technical bench was further bolstered with the additions of Bernard Mwalala as assistant coach and former Harambee Stars midfielder Osborne Monday as a video analyst.
Currently, Shabana sits fourth on the log, nine points adrift of joint league leaders Kenya Police and Tusker. They are just a point behind defending champions Gor Mahia and third-placed KCB, setting up an intense second-leg battle.
Okidi has now shed light on his approach to transforming the club’s mentality and instilling a winning culture.
“We want to be a team that is hungry to win. This is a Shabana that wants to win trophies, and the fans also demand the same,” Okidi said after their hard-fought 1-0 victory over Sofapaka last Saturday.
“We are instilling that mentality in the players—this is not a team that fights relegation anymore. We are in the league to compete. Everyone should focus on winning their matches, and then we will see who is the last man standing.”
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Shabana winger Ezekiah Omuri has been tipped for Harambee Stars success after his recent success with the Glamour Boys.
The coach also took the opportunity to dismiss rumors circulating on social media that some players had staged a go-slow during their final game of 2024 against Mathare United at Dandora Stadium.
“There were no players who wanted to leave. Darius Msagha was sick during the camp, so I cannot say they went on a go-slow,” Okidi clarified.
“The players gave it their all that day, but we want players with determination who want to win and fight for titles.”
One of the key players to emerge in recent weeks is Kenya U-20 star Dalphine Omuri. After a period of adaptation, Omuri has finally broken into the first team and is proving to be an exciting prospect.
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Shabana FC dedicated win over Sofapaka to bereaved teammate James Mazembe.
Okidi explained the approach taken to accelerate Omuri’s development.
“We have been encouraging him and giving him game time. If he makes mistakes, we correct him, but it is important to give him confidence because he will replicate it with us. He will be very important for the country.”
With Okidi at the helm, Shabana’s transformation from relegation strugglers to title hopefuls is now in full swing. The second leg of the season promises to be a thrilling test of their newfound ambitions.
