The 2014 season is Ligi Ndogo Sports Club's first year in the Kenyan National Super League and their fourth consecutive season in the second tier of the Kenyan football league system.
The Planets have gone through the lower tiers of the Kenyan football league system and are now one division below the Premier League. The team started in the Nationwide League's Second Division in 2006 before gaining promotion to the First Division in 2007, where they remained until 2013 (the league has since been changed to FKF Division One). During that season, the team finished the season in fourth place, earning promotion to the newly formed National Super League.
Season overview
January The team was back on 13 January for pre-season practice, assembling on the grounds for the opening of its annual training camp Monday morning. Last season, the team put together a 12-5-5 record, highlighted by a five match winning streak in November including wins over K.R.A., Mahakama and Bidco United to sprint from sixth to fourth and qualify for Super League football.
The team welcomes back ten starters from last season's side, including the team's leaders in goals (John Njoroge, 12), assists (Samuel Machio, 18), most appearances (Brian Yator, 47) as well as minutes played (Phillip Ugochukwu, 3,060).
Central defender Arthur Weyula was sold to newly promoted Premier League side Top Fry AllStars, while Leonard Ochieng and Edgar Lenox Odhiambo will feature for Provincial League side Kibera All Stars on waiver and loan respectively. Five-year veteran Machio was selected as team captain and will serve in that capacity throughout the 2014 season. Striker Thomas Lugera is back on the roster after going on loan to Coast United during the 2013 season. Right back Mikhail Mwaniki, the longest serving member of the academy, returns to the active roster after sitting out most of the 2013 season due to personal matters.
Ten transfers joined Ligi Ndogo for this season. Among them was Kibera Black Stars centre back Isaac Omari, a replacement for Weyula, two other defenders, three midfielders, two strikers and former Planets keeper, Charles Ouma, who is back after one year at Premier League side Muhoroni Youth.
In keeping with tradition, six players were promoted from the lower Ligi Ndogo teams. Right back Brian Ochieng (23) and goalkeeper Douglas Aswani (20) were promoted from the foundation team, while midfielders Kibet Kilele (17), Kamaru Waiyaki (17) and Remy Sheikh (16) were promoted from the under-17 side that has featured in the Keele International Cup in England over the past five years. A major part of the Planets' title quest this season will depend on the consistency of their back four, a constantly improving unit that conceded only 7 goals in the second half of the season compared to 15 in the first leg.
The team will play its home games at its Ngong Road centre, where it played its last five matches in the 2013 season with a record of 4-1.
February The team added one more player from the youth system, Christian Lubulu (19), and dropped two more (Wycliffe Njenga and Eric Kibiru) before the final team hand-over deadline. 2012 top scorer Vincent Okoth returned to the roster and was joined by Clifford Ouma and Obadiah Ndege, who is on loan from Posta Rangers. Brillian Ochieng also returned to the squad, while goalkeeper Tom Muthomi was released to Nairobi Stima.
Ligi Ndogo had its first friendly game against the Academy side and lost 2-1 before bouncing back to beat Iron Strikers 4-0. In a subsequent rematch, it beat the Academy team 1-0. The team played three more pre-season friendlies in anticipation of the start of the National Super League. However, the kick-off was postponed by a week due to a series of new rules that teams had to comply with.Kituyi, p.13135.
March On 15 March, the Planets won their first match of the 2014 National Super League and went top of the league in the first week of action. Brian Yator's hat trick pushed his goal tally to eight in seven matches. On 23 March the Planets went down 3-0 to Posta Rangers, their first league defeat by two goals or more since 14 October 2012 (losing 2-0 to Bandari). Goalkeeper Charles Ouma aggravated a knee injury and was ruled out for six weeks.
The Planets held Kariobangi Sharks to a 1-1 draw with a late penalty on 29 March for 4 points in their slowest start after three matches (9 points in 2011 and 7 points in 2012). The match was German tactician Oliver Page's first since taking over the senior team. He had previously joined the Academy as a technical advisor, and he now becomes the Sports Director.
Players
Current squad
# Name Date of birth (age) Signed from Goalkeepers 18 Charles Ouma GK Muhoroni Youth (2014) 22 Samuel Njau GK Limuru Olympic (2011) - Douglas Aswani GK Academy Defenders 3 Mikhail Mwaniki RB Academy 4 Evans Njuku RB Academy 5 Philip Ugochukwu CB K.R.A. (2013) 13 Benjamin Kipruto RB/CB Academy 15 Isaac Omari CB Kibera Black Stars (2014) – James Dundi CB Kibera Black Stars (2014) – Brian Ochieng RB Academy – Nashon Omondi LB Impala (2013) – Brian Lutah LB Academy Midfielders 2 Sven Yida AM Academy 19 Jacob Omutanyi AM Tena 6 Douglas Simiyu LM Namachanja High School (2011) 8 Alex Luganji DM Iron Strikers 10 Samuel Machio (captain) CM Academy 14 Collins Odawa CM Ambira High School (2011) 16 Christian Lubulu AM Academy 17 Brian Yator LM/RM Academy – Kibet Kilele CM Academy – Remy Sheikh CM Ligi Ndogo S.C. – Kamaru Waiyaki AM Academy – Nassor Yusuf AM Kibera Celtic (2014) – Emmanuel Alim DM Rongai (2014) – Brillian Ochieng LM Academy Forwards 7 John Njoroge CF Academy 9 Obadiah Ndege ST Posta Rangers (2013) 11 Thomas Lugera ST Academy 12 Clifford Ouma ST Academy – Jackson Oketch ST/RW Nakumatt (2013) – Vincent Okoth ST Free agent
Transfers
From the youth system
Transfers in Transfers InPlayerPositionDate Price FromAge Isaac OmariDefenderJanuary 13FreeKibera Celtic Charles OumaGoalkeeperJanuary 13FreeMuhoroni Youth James DundiDefenderJanuary 30FreeKibera Celtic Nassor YussufMidfielderJanuary 30FreeKibera Celtic Emmanuel AlimMidfielderJanuary 30FreeRongai Vincent OkothStrikerJanuary 30FreeVapor Obadiah NdegeStrikerFebruary 27LoanPosta Rangers
Transfers out Transfers outPlayerPositionDate Reason ToAge Arthur WeyulaDefenderJanuary 6FreeTop Fry AllStars Leonard OchiengStrikerJanuary 10FreeKibera Black Stars Edgar OdhiamboStrikerJanuary 17FreeKibera Black Stars
Club
Coaching staff {| class="wikitable" |- !Position !Staff |- |Head coach || Oliver Page |- |Assistant head coach || Bernard Ndichu |- |Goalkeeper coach || Ken Opiyo |- |Fitness coach || John Zane Midambo |- |Medical director || Fred Onsakia |- |Reserve team coach || Evans Ogutu |- |Academy director || Ibrahim Mbikalo |- |Youth team manager || Mikhail Mwaniki |- |Match analyst || Chris Amimo |- |Team administrator || Calvin Odhiambo
Managerial changes Outgoing head coach Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming head coach Date of appointment Bernard Ndichu (caretaker) Demoted 9 November 2013 4th Oliver Page March 2014
Kit
Competitions Legend
Overall
| align=left | National Super League | – | 6th | TBD | 15 March 2014 | TBA |- | align=left | GOtv Shield | 2nd round | – | 4th round | 31 May 2014 | 7 September 2014
Pre-season
National Super League
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches
GOtv Shield
Mid-season This is a list of friendlies played during the course of the season.
Attendance figures are estimates to the nearest 10.
Statistics
Squad statistics
Name Pos. League Total Discipline Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists 2 Sven Yida AM72350111000020 17 Brian Yator AM65254100000000 11 Thomas Lugera ST63120010000010 11 Jacob Omutanyi AM83120010000010 – Wycliffe Njenga AM31000000000010 – Jackson Oketch ST71420000000000 7 John Njoroge ST66051210000010 – Eric Kibiru AM41000000000000 10 Samuel Machio CM51260110000010 4 Evans Njuku RB50360010000000 13 Ken Kipruto LB50020010000020 12 Clifford Ouma ST40340110100010 8 Nassor Yusuf AM51110011000010 8 Alex Luganji AM30110010100000 14 Collins Odawa AM60160010000030 5 Philip Ugochukwu CB60050010000020 3 Mikhail Mwaniki RB50000010000010 9 Obadiah Ndege ST00050111100010 6 Douglas Simiyu LB60020010000011 15 Isaac Omari LB70061000000000 16 Christian Lubulu CM70030010000000 12 Vincent Okoth ST00032011100010 * Repeated numbers are for jerseys shared in different matches.
Goalkeepers
Name Goals conceded League Cup 22 Samuel Njau 7 1 6 0 0 7 18 Charles Ouma 6 4 5 0 0 9 – Tom Muthomi 4 0 0 0 0 0 – Douglas Aswani 1 1 0 0 0 1 Totals 19 6 11 0 0 17 a. Includes the GOtv Shield, Jamhuri Day Cup and Madaraka Day Cup. b. Tom Muthomi was released after four exhibition matches.
Season statistics
Total appearances and goals
|- align=center ! colspan="31"| Goalkeepers
|- align=center ! colspan="31"| Defenders
|- align=center ! colspan="31"| Midfielders
|- align=center ! colspan="31"| Forwards
Totals and averages
Total Home Away Games played 16 6 10 Games won 9 3 6 Games drawn 4 1 3 Games lost 3 2 1 Clean sheets 6 2 4 Goals scored 33 16 17 Goals conceded 19 10 9 Goal difference +14 +9 +8 Average goals scored Average goals conceded Yellow cards 19 9 10 Red cards 1 0 1 League points 8 4 4 Winning rate
Records
Record Total Home Away Score Opponent(s) Score Opponent(s) Score Opponent(s) Biggest win Overall 5–1 Vapor 4–0 Hamza Combined 5–1 Vapor Iron Strikers League 4–3 FC Talanta 4–3 FC Talanta 2–0 Mahakama Cup TBD To be determined TBD To be determined TBD To be determined Friendlies 5–1 Vapor 4–0 Hamza Combined 5–1 Vapor Iron Strikers Biggest loss Overall 3–0 Posta Rangers 3–0 Posta Rangers) 3–0 Nakumatt Nakumatt League 3–0 Posta Rangers 3–0 Posta Rangers) 3–0 Nakumatt Nakumatt Cup TBD To be determined TBD To be determined TBD To be determined Friendlies 2–1 Ligi Ndogo Jr. 2–1 Ligi Ndogo Jr. n/a Not available Record Overall Home Away Player(s) Player(s) Player(s) Appearances 13 2 players 8 Sven Yida 6 Philip Ugochukwu (6) Minutes played 1,051 Phillip Ugochukwu 310 Philip Ugochukwu 741 Philip Ugochukwu Goals scored 9 Brian Yator 6 Brian Yator 3 Brian Yator John Njoroge Assists given 4 Jackson Oketch 2 Clifford Ouma 3 Jackson Oketch Yellow cards 2 Collins Odawa 2 Collins Odawa 1 Douglas Simiyu Red cards 1 Douglas Simiyu TBD To be determined 1 Douglas Simiyu 1 Includes the GOtv Shield, Jamhuri Day Cup and Madaraka Day Cup.
References