To make a strong start and announce their return decisively, the Slum Boys are plotting a massive upset against AFC Leopards in their season opener on Saturday.

“It is essential to start off a new season with a win, and a win against AFC Leopards will give us the right boost. They are a strong team with excellent coaching. You can also see for yourself that they have had a much better preseason than us, with everything that has been made available for them,” Mathare United new coach John Kamau said.

The 2009 Kenyan champions played in the second tier National Super League last season after being relegated the previous season, ending nearly thirty years in the top flight.

Having regained their top-flight status, the club is keen to avoid relegation again. Apart from unveiling a new technical bench headed by John Kamau, formerly of Posta Rangers, with Mohammed Muchula as the first assistant coach and Julius Mutivo as the second, Mathare United has also made several signings of mostly youthful players, going back to the club’s roots.

“First of all, I want to thank the management for returning to the very essence of Mathare United, which is giving youth a chance. My emphasis has been on recruiting young and hungry players, and the club has supported me throughout.

“We are trying to set up a team that can compete with the top teams in the Premier League, and so far in our preseason preparations, we can see that we are slowly getting there. While the team isn’t fully ready, this is to be expected. We hope to get closer to our level with our final week of preparations before our first game,” Kamau offered.

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To gauge their preparedness ahead of the new season kickoff, the club played and won a friendly match 2-1 against Sofapaka FC over the weekend.

Some of the youthful players the club has acquired include midfielder Harryson Lutta from FKF Division 1 side Soy United and defensive midfielder Henry Obala.

“I am happy with every single one of my players. Many of them have never played for a top-flight team, and everything is new to them. So, given how far they’ve come, I couldn’t ask for more,” Kamau added.