Munro betrayed me - Ali

Salim Ali claims that Bob Munro breached a gentleman's agreement that they had in place from the start of the season by firing him on Monday.

Ali was shown the door from his position as Mathare United head coach over a poor run in the league, the team is currently bottom in the log with just seven points. Sunday's barren draw against a depleted Vihiga side sealed his fate ending his six-year stay at the club where he served as an assistant to Francis Kimanzi and finally head coach.

At the start of the season, Ali was linked with a move to Bandari and Gor Mahia as an assistant coach, both moves however did not materialize as he opted to remain at the club. He has now revealed that an agreement that he had with chairman Munro barred him from exiting.

"When Bandari and Gor Mahia wanted me, Chairman Munro called me for a meeting and pleaded that I stay until at least the end of the season, we had a gentleman’s agreement. He said that he would rather lose some people and not me as the head coach," he said during an interview with KTN.

He added that some senior players in the team also persuaded him to shelve the thought of quitting his boyhood club.

“I decided to stay because it wouldn’t have been a good picture for me to leave at a time when we were all looking forward to playing. Some senior players that I had signed also urged me to stay put until the end of the season. I understood and opted to stay, "he added.

Frank Ouna has since been named Ali’s successor. The former Harambee Stars assistant coach will be at the dugout on Wednesday afternoon against KCB.