AFC Leopards’ head coach Patrick Aussems has stated that he will speak Kiswahili for the first time if his team emerges as the Football Kenya Federation (FKF-PL) champions.
Aussems revealed this during NTV’s Monday night sports show, SportOn!.
He was hosted by Bernard Ndong and James Wokabi, where he defended himself against accusations that he insulted a journalist.
The Belgian tactician was under fire after calling the scribe “stupid” when he was asked a question after their goalless draw with Nzoia Sugar at Sudi Stadium on February 5.
However, the journalist got it wrong when he asked Aussems why he did not leave the field of play after being red-carded, but it was goalkeeper trainer Lawrence Webo who had been sent off.
This was not the first time the coach had courted controversy for using the word “stupid” during matches.
Last year, Aussems referred to Sofapaka’s coach David Ouma, who was then an assistant coach at the club, as “stupid.”
Aussems explained that in his mother tongue French, the word “stupid” is a “soft word,” and he did not intend to demean the journalist.
When asked why he spoke in French during his post-match comments after their 6-0 win over FC Talanta at Nyayo National Stadium last Thursday, the coach revealed that he was afraid of being misinterpreted again.
Aussems stated that English is not his mother language, and he would answer the journalist’s questions in English during their next game against Karobangi Sharks on Sunday.
Football Kenya Federation had launched investigations into the matter.
