The 17th round of matches in the 2010 Kenya Premier League Season saw a flurry of exciting goals, with KCB's Ezekiel Odera surely the toast of the round with his fantastic hat-trick against Karuturi Sports.
Sofapaka rediscovered their groove with a four-nil bashing of Red Berets in the policemen's own backyard, and Gor Mahia continued their fascinating displays with a two-nil hiding for former champions Tusker.
Amidst these appetizing displays on the pitches, the monster of football mismanagement in the country returned with its unwanted distraction yet again. The Africa Centre for Open Governance (AfriCOG) reminded us of the extent of malignancy bedevilling local football.
In Its report titled "Foul Play: the crisis of football management in Kenya", AfriCOG concludes that poor leadership and governance structures, unaccountability by local football administrators, and FIFA's partiality have all contributed to the degeneration of the beautiful game in the country .
The belligerence being exhibited by the so called local soccer chiefs does not offer any hope of this scenario changing any time soon.
The two warring factions stubbornly continue to hold on to their regressive positions in spite of the deep desire of Kenyans to see an end to the disruptive infighting, which has recently seen Kenya's promising midfielder Macdonald Mariga failing to secure a work permit to play in the English Premier League and also turned Harambee Stars players to armchair players during the recently concluded World Cup 2010, never mind the exciting fact that it was being held in Africa for the first time.
Already other countries are mapping their strategies for the 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifiers and even the 2014 World Cup to be hosted by Brazil, but don't be surprised to see our soccer administrators suddenly springing into action a week or two to Kenya's first qualifier for the 2012 Afcon only to rue missed chances at the end of the qualifiers.
It is not all gloom though, as the Kenya Premier League's recent matches have shown. The league's professional organisation with the helping hand of Supersport is seeing a gradual return of entertaining football to our stadiums, and quality players are being lured back to play here too.
Apart from the sizeable army of foreign players who have signed for the various clubs in the country, we are seeing quality Kenyan players that had ventured abroad in search of greener pastures trooping back home, obviously courtesy of improved terms being offered by the re-energised KPL clubs. Among the latest arrivals are Osborn Monday back from Azam FC of Tanzania, defender George Owino of Tanzania's Yanga and Allan Wanga, who could not secure a work permit in time to turn out for Europa League-bound Baku FC of Azebaijan.
****************
AFC Leopard's Coach Chris Makokha's resignation was bound to happen sooner rather than later, owing to the pedestrian results that the once mighty club continues to register in the league and the immense pressure exerted by the club's ultra-demanding fans.
The veteran coach reminded soccer fans that his association with the club stretches back to the glory era of the nineteen seventies and eighties. Perhaps that is in itself an adequate hint that Ingwe should seriously think of how far the game has evolved when recruiting the next manager.
03 September 2012
21 July 2012
Tusker's poor performance at CECAFA: how low we have sunk !
After two forgettable displays at the ongoing CECAFA Kagame Cup, Tusker joined whipping boys Wau Salaam of South Sudan and Ports SC of Djibouti as the first casualties of the regional club competition.
When the draw placed five time champions Tusker in group B together with minnows Mafunzo of Zanzibar and Azam of Tanzania, many Tusker fans must have sighed with relief. This is especially so considering that group A had three big clubs - Simba SC of Tanzania, Uganda's URA FC and Vita Club, the guest club from Congo DR.
Group C, which was tagged the group of death, also consisted of three big guns namely, Yanga of Tanzania, Atletico from Burundi and Rwanda's army outfit APR FC.
With such a seemingly favourable draw for the beer men from Ruaraka, it seemed a foregone conclusion that they would roll over their opponents and find themselves in the quarter finals without breaking a sweat. The opposite was the case, however, right from the first match when Tusker played out an embarrassing 0-0 draw against Mafunzo FC.
This result meant that Tusker had to win their next match against money-laden Azam FC, or at worst, force a 2-2 draw so as to eliminate Mafunzo. The Kenyan defending champions, however, returned to Dar es Salaam's National Stadium in worse shape than they were during their first match.
Obviously lacking creativity of any kind and sticking to an unproductive snail-paced approach, the team struggled to open up Azam's defence. Soon after, they resorted to wastefully shooting long balls into Azam's danger area.
Captain Joseph Shikokoti, who had managed a slightly decent performance against Mafunzo, had a performance to forget this time round. A blunt Azam forward line almost had the defender to thank for a gift of a goal when he powerfully headed towards his own goal, with goalkeeper Boniface Oluoch luckily preventing the ball from hitting the net.
The lowest point of Shikokoti's display was yet to come. It came courtesy of a school boy blunder. With an Azam striker breathing down his neck as he faced his keeper, the gigantic defender hesitated and left all defensive duty to Oluoch, who under the circumstances had no option other than committing a foul on the Azam player, earning a straight red card as a result.
Just like in the match against Mafunzo, Tusker's few chances came late in the match. One such opportunity involved substitute Obadiah Ndege, whose charge towards Azam's goal was suddenly halted a few yards from the Tanzanians' penalty area. Ndege's meek response when the resultant free kick rebounded towards him aptly summarised Tusker's miserable campaign.
Talk of leaving the party with a whimper when every one expected you were the guy to steal the show. With performances such as these, perhaps we should refrain from gloating and bragging about how our league has improved after professional management by the Kenya Premier League and cash injections by South Africa's Supersport and other sponsors.
When the draw placed five time champions Tusker in group B together with minnows Mafunzo of Zanzibar and Azam of Tanzania, many Tusker fans must have sighed with relief. This is especially so considering that group A had three big clubs - Simba SC of Tanzania, Uganda's URA FC and Vita Club, the guest club from Congo DR.
Group C, which was tagged the group of death, also consisted of three big guns namely, Yanga of Tanzania, Atletico from Burundi and Rwanda's army outfit APR FC.
With such a seemingly favourable draw for the beer men from Ruaraka, it seemed a foregone conclusion that they would roll over their opponents and find themselves in the quarter finals without breaking a sweat. The opposite was the case, however, right from the first match when Tusker played out an embarrassing 0-0 draw against Mafunzo FC.
This result meant that Tusker had to win their next match against money-laden Azam FC, or at worst, force a 2-2 draw so as to eliminate Mafunzo. The Kenyan defending champions, however, returned to Dar es Salaam's National Stadium in worse shape than they were during their first match.
Obviously lacking creativity of any kind and sticking to an unproductive snail-paced approach, the team struggled to open up Azam's defence. Soon after, they resorted to wastefully shooting long balls into Azam's danger area.
Captain Joseph Shikokoti, who had managed a slightly decent performance against Mafunzo, had a performance to forget this time round. A blunt Azam forward line almost had the defender to thank for a gift of a goal when he powerfully headed towards his own goal, with goalkeeper Boniface Oluoch luckily preventing the ball from hitting the net.
The lowest point of Shikokoti's display was yet to come. It came courtesy of a school boy blunder. With an Azam striker breathing down his neck as he faced his keeper, the gigantic defender hesitated and left all defensive duty to Oluoch, who under the circumstances had no option other than committing a foul on the Azam player, earning a straight red card as a result.
Just like in the match against Mafunzo, Tusker's few chances came late in the match. One such opportunity involved substitute Obadiah Ndege, whose charge towards Azam's goal was suddenly halted a few yards from the Tanzanians' penalty area. Ndege's meek response when the resultant free kick rebounded towards him aptly summarised Tusker's miserable campaign.
Talk of leaving the party with a whimper when every one expected you were the guy to steal the show. With performances such as these, perhaps we should refrain from gloating and bragging about how our league has improved after professional management by the Kenya Premier League and cash injections by South Africa's Supersport and other sponsors.
20 July 2012
Logarusic and Jan Koops: new kids on the block?
When Dutchman Jan Koops took over as Coach at AFC Leopards in 2011, the club was
rooted to the bottom of the Kenya Premier League log. After only a few matches, even the most die hard skeptics were convinced that change had arrived at Ingwe. By the time the final whistle of the 2011 season was blown, Koops' boys were smugly perched in the top five section of the log.
In fact, such was the Dutchman's tremendous influence at the club that between July 2011 and April 2012, he masterminded an incredible 23-match winning streak.
Several weeks into the 2012 season, Gor realised they had to do a "Jan Koops"of their own. The club had ended the 2011 season unsatisfactorily and began the new one even more dismally, causing the sacking of Coaches Zedekiah "Zico" Otieno and Cameroonian Anaba Awono in the process.
By the time Croat Zdravko Logarusic smelt opportunity and caught the next available plane to Nairobi from Ghana, KÓgalo were flirting with relegation, just like Ingwe had only a few months earlier.
Well, the stories of these two Kenyan football power houses have since turned so rosy that their fans are again bragging about their chances of winning the Kenyan Premier League.
So what changed so drastically to alter the clubs' fortunes for good? Is it the the tactical prowess of the foreign coaches or their freedom from the tribalism, clanism and nepotism that so poisons Kenya's football?
From the attractive styles, enthusiasm and effectiveness being displayed by the clubs, one can confidently say that both cases apply. Clearly, the way players have either been offloaded or recruited at the clubs indicate that players' technical abilities are being considered above every thing else.
It is for this reason that a player like Collins Okoth who previously considered himself untouchable at Gor Mahia had no option but to quit the club. It is for the same reason that an almost entire squad was shown the door at AFC Leopards to create space for the desired kind of players.
It is also for the same reason that we have witnessed several high calibre transfers such as Eric Masika's move from Gor Mahia to AFC Leopards and Burundi international Floribert Ndayisaba's Ksh 1.3 million move from Rayon Sport of Rwanda to Leopards.
Listening to the Tacticians' statements in the local media, one cannot fail to notice their passion for realisation of a technically superior brand of football in the country. Croat Logarusic was recently quoted appealing for efforts to refine the abundantly talented Kenyan youth.
“There are thousands of talented young players in the country and they need to be nurtured since Kenya has great potential,” he said.
“The tempo is one thing that should be improved since the standards are way down (3-4 M/H) compared to what they do in Europe (7-8 M/H) but that can be improved.” said the bald headed Croat.
On his part, Jan Koops revealed a number of secrets that he would rely upon to transform Leopards when he took over at the then struggling East African giants.
‘There is no secret, I like to play ball possession, discipline in the team is important; one touch football, technical players. I like to talk to every player, if they have a problem...I like to be their friend but with a respectable distance so that they can respect me and I respect them,’ said Koops.
A year later, all these can be seen manifesting themselves as Ingwe confidently march towards a possible Kenya Premier League crown after such a long absence.
In fact, such was the Dutchman's tremendous influence at the club that between July 2011 and April 2012, he masterminded an incredible 23-match winning streak.
Several weeks into the 2012 season, Gor realised they had to do a "Jan Koops"of their own. The club had ended the 2011 season unsatisfactorily and began the new one even more dismally, causing the sacking of Coaches Zedekiah "Zico" Otieno and Cameroonian Anaba Awono in the process.
By the time Croat Zdravko Logarusic smelt opportunity and caught the next available plane to Nairobi from Ghana, KÓgalo were flirting with relegation, just like Ingwe had only a few months earlier.
Well, the stories of these two Kenyan football power houses have since turned so rosy that their fans are again bragging about their chances of winning the Kenyan Premier League.
So what changed so drastically to alter the clubs' fortunes for good? Is it the the tactical prowess of the foreign coaches or their freedom from the tribalism, clanism and nepotism that so poisons Kenya's football?
From the attractive styles, enthusiasm and effectiveness being displayed by the clubs, one can confidently say that both cases apply. Clearly, the way players have either been offloaded or recruited at the clubs indicate that players' technical abilities are being considered above every thing else.
It is for this reason that a player like Collins Okoth who previously considered himself untouchable at Gor Mahia had no option but to quit the club. It is for the same reason that an almost entire squad was shown the door at AFC Leopards to create space for the desired kind of players.
It is also for the same reason that we have witnessed several high calibre transfers such as Eric Masika's move from Gor Mahia to AFC Leopards and Burundi international Floribert Ndayisaba's Ksh 1.3 million move from Rayon Sport of Rwanda to Leopards.
Listening to the Tacticians' statements in the local media, one cannot fail to notice their passion for realisation of a technically superior brand of football in the country. Croat Logarusic was recently quoted appealing for efforts to refine the abundantly talented Kenyan youth.
“There are thousands of talented young players in the country and they need to be nurtured since Kenya has great potential,” he said.
“The tempo is one thing that should be improved since the standards are way down (3-4 M/H) compared to what they do in Europe (7-8 M/H) but that can be improved.” said the bald headed Croat.
On his part, Jan Koops revealed a number of secrets that he would rely upon to transform Leopards when he took over at the then struggling East African giants.
‘There is no secret, I like to play ball possession, discipline in the team is important; one touch football, technical players. I like to talk to every player, if they have a problem...I like to be their friend but with a respectable distance so that they can respect me and I respect them,’ said Koops.
A year later, all these can be seen manifesting themselves as Ingwe confidently march towards a possible Kenya Premier League crown after such a long absence.
It is with interventions such as these by clubs across the board that footballing standards in Kenya will rise to place the country in the position of the footballing pyramid that she so rightly deserves.
19 July 2012
Tusker's barren draw in Dar tells same Kenyan sad footballing story
Kenya's Tusker FC finally took the pitch in Dar es Salaam against Mafunzo of Zanzibar as they launched their campaign to win the CECAFA Kagame Cup, which they last won in 2008. And that is a story in itself because apart from that win, no Kenyan club has won the competition since 2001, when the brewers last brought the cup to Kenya.
Right from the opening minutes, Tusker displayed a very lethargic approach of play, moving the ball towards their opponents almost at walking pace. Theirs was a perfect example of Gor Coach Zdavko Logarusic's recent assertion that the pace of Kenya's players was too slow.
If this was a deliberate tactical attempt to slow down the game, the strategy clearly backfired, especially in the second half, as it allowed Mafunzo to confidently pass the ball around, even launching dangerous attacks on Tusker's goal.
It is only towards the end of the match that Tusker displayed some urgency in their attack. During this period, a charging Obadiah Ndege was brought down almost inside the penalty area. The resultant free kick by David Ochieng hit the cross bar but it was the most threatening shot at Mafunzo's goal. One wonders if a more pacy performance wouldn't have created such or even more fruitful goal scoring chances.
But it was the non-performance of the strikers that was most telling. Even when they managed to create goal scoring opportunities, the strikers' shots were either wayward or feeble, which begs the question: whatever happened to the training of strikers in Kenya? Whether it is at national or club level, Kenya's strikers have remained consistent in only one aspect: pathetic.
It is only the first round but already, strikers from Burundi's Atletico, Rwanda's APR and Uganda's URA clubs have appeared very sharp and lively, and more importantly, productive.
If Tusker makes it out of their group, one can only fear for the Ruaraka boys as these teams have displayed very high technical and tactical standards in their matches. Let us hope Tusker will have learnt a few lessons by the time they face their next group opponents, Azam FC of Tanzania.
Right from the opening minutes, Tusker displayed a very lethargic approach of play, moving the ball towards their opponents almost at walking pace. Theirs was a perfect example of Gor Coach Zdavko Logarusic's recent assertion that the pace of Kenya's players was too slow.
If this was a deliberate tactical attempt to slow down the game, the strategy clearly backfired, especially in the second half, as it allowed Mafunzo to confidently pass the ball around, even launching dangerous attacks on Tusker's goal.
It is only towards the end of the match that Tusker displayed some urgency in their attack. During this period, a charging Obadiah Ndege was brought down almost inside the penalty area. The resultant free kick by David Ochieng hit the cross bar but it was the most threatening shot at Mafunzo's goal. One wonders if a more pacy performance wouldn't have created such or even more fruitful goal scoring chances.
But it was the non-performance of the strikers that was most telling. Even when they managed to create goal scoring opportunities, the strikers' shots were either wayward or feeble, which begs the question: whatever happened to the training of strikers in Kenya? Whether it is at national or club level, Kenya's strikers have remained consistent in only one aspect: pathetic.
It is only the first round but already, strikers from Burundi's Atletico, Rwanda's APR and Uganda's URA clubs have appeared very sharp and lively, and more importantly, productive.
If Tusker makes it out of their group, one can only fear for the Ruaraka boys as these teams have displayed very high technical and tactical standards in their matches. Let us hope Tusker will have learnt a few lessons by the time they face their next group opponents, Azam FC of Tanzania.
11 July 2012
Is the U23 side Kenya's only hope?
Back in January this year, Kenya's under 23 football team travelled to West Africa to face Guinea and Senegal in international friendlies. The two West African soccer giants had assembled their biggest names for the 2012 AFCON and could not wait to white wash the Kenyan greenhorns.
when they came, the results surprised every one, including Kenyans who had prepared to welcome youths carrying a bagful of conceded goals. Three days after narrowly losing 0-1 to Senegal, Kenya stood resolute in a 1-1 draw performance against Guinea. Immediately, everyone was waxing lyrical about how this was the team that would save long suffering Kenyan soccer fans from constant humiliation.
Well, six months later, these young Kenyan footballers have an opportunity to prove to every one that indeed, they are the group that will restore Kenya's badly dented footballing ego when they take on a recently impressive Botswana in an international friendly at Nyayo National Stadium on 12 July 2012.
It might be that they performed well in West Africa because they were under no pressure and no one expected them to deliver, or they actually might be the real deal that Kenya has been missing for over eight years now (ditto the 2004 AFCON Harambee Stars outing).
If these lads put out an outstanding performance against fast-rising Botswana, we should all loudly demand that they be given the next Harambee Stars assignment.
when they came, the results surprised every one, including Kenyans who had prepared to welcome youths carrying a bagful of conceded goals. Three days after narrowly losing 0-1 to Senegal, Kenya stood resolute in a 1-1 draw performance against Guinea. Immediately, everyone was waxing lyrical about how this was the team that would save long suffering Kenyan soccer fans from constant humiliation.
Well, six months later, these young Kenyan footballers have an opportunity to prove to every one that indeed, they are the group that will restore Kenya's badly dented footballing ego when they take on a recently impressive Botswana in an international friendly at Nyayo National Stadium on 12 July 2012.
It might be that they performed well in West Africa because they were under no pressure and no one expected them to deliver, or they actually might be the real deal that Kenya has been missing for over eight years now (ditto the 2004 AFCON Harambee Stars outing).
If these lads put out an outstanding performance against fast-rising Botswana, we should all loudly demand that they be given the next Harambee Stars assignment.
23 June 2012
FKF Musical Chairs: New Episode
After a sorry Harambee Stars meekly bowed out of the Afcon 2013 qualifiers, a week after another meek outing against Namibia in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, FKF swung into action.
The clueless Kenyan soccer mafia swiftly sacked Coach Kimanzi and invited applications from foreigners "to save the national team".
Well, a foregn coach will be hired. He will proceed to register a chain of loses and barren draws and, predictably, will be shown the door.
It is possible FKF know the real reason for Kenya's continued poor perfornances on the pitch. These people must surely know that it will take serious and selfless efforts to get the team performing again. Common sense and experience clearly dictates that we must spend adequately before we can see positive results.
Are our players ever motivated adequately before they take to the pitch to represent us? How much do they earn in terms of allowances and bonuses? If you attempted to find out, you would be shocked.
Additionally, football stakeholders have sung year after year that we need to establish decent football academies to nurture fresh talent, but these pleas have always fell on deaf ears. Yet we all know that to hope for excellent results, we must prepare our players excellently, while they are still young.
I have a hunch that FKF knows all these things, except, they are unwilling to spend adequate funds to realise them, so as to have enough to stuff their bottomless pockets.
The clueless Kenyan soccer mafia swiftly sacked Coach Kimanzi and invited applications from foreigners "to save the national team".
Well, a foregn coach will be hired. He will proceed to register a chain of loses and barren draws and, predictably, will be shown the door.
It is possible FKF know the real reason for Kenya's continued poor perfornances on the pitch. These people must surely know that it will take serious and selfless efforts to get the team performing again. Common sense and experience clearly dictates that we must spend adequately before we can see positive results.
Are our players ever motivated adequately before they take to the pitch to represent us? How much do they earn in terms of allowances and bonuses? If you attempted to find out, you would be shocked.
Additionally, football stakeholders have sung year after year that we need to establish decent football academies to nurture fresh talent, but these pleas have always fell on deaf ears. Yet we all know that to hope for excellent results, we must prepare our players excellently, while they are still young.
I have a hunch that FKF knows all these things, except, they are unwilling to spend adequate funds to realise them, so as to have enough to stuff their bottomless pockets.
09 June 2012
Stars, let's shut Namibians up!
Either coach Benard Kaanjuka is a very brave man with a skill in mind games that could rival Sir Alex Ferguson and Roberto Manchini of the red and blue rivals of Manchester, or else, he is an arrogant pretender residing in his own imaginary world.
Last time I checked, Harambee Stars had some of the most skillful midfielders in Africa. it is in very public knowledge that stars midfielders have recently run rings around players of such powerhouses as Nigeria, Tunisia and Guinea. In fact, one of the shortcomings of the national team recently has been over-playing in mid field and forgetting about the final third.
It is also in public knowledge that Kenya now has a problem in deciding who to position between the sticks. For a long time, we have known that our number one, Arnold Origi, is one of the best keepers in Africa, producing one excellent performance after another.
We have recoiled in fear every time we saw Boniface Oluoch walking on to the pitch to guard Kenya's goal. Surprisingly, all that was forgotten in an instant when the lad produced a marvelous, inspiring and unforgettable performance to keep a very poor Harambee Stars, admittedly, in the game (and 2014 qualifiers) against a defensive Malawi on the 2nd of June.
With the return of Origi, after a short-lived self-imposed exile from national duty, coach Kimanzi must be furiously scratching his head, wondering whether to retain the in-form Oluoch or revert to the ever-reliable Origi.
Then there is Oliech, who was last season's Auxerre FC leading scorer and one of the leading goal scorers in the current African World Cup qualifiers with three goals. Surely, Kanjuuka must have been talking about another Kenya?
Admitted, the team often lacks a tactical cutting edge, has problems in defence- especially on the left, and seems to struggle for motivation and commitment when not facing a heavyweight opponent, but truth be said, Kenya has never stopped producing skillful players ever since she happened on the international football scene.
So Stars, make us proud. Make Kaanjuka eat his own words and shut him up in his own back yard! Go Kenya Go!
24 March 2012
Why don't we just rename Sirkaal?
As all Kenyan football fans know, the 'Mighty K'Ogallo army', who prefer to call themselves 'Gor followers', are a double faced monster. On one side, they are beautiful, passionate, intense and committed football fans. Who wouldn't want such a group of football supporters? Especially when they come in millions?
The other side of Gor supporters is that of spoilt, impatient, selfish and ungracious brats. They will start throwing stones at every one and every thing in sight at the slightest provocation. The latest incident where they rained stones onto the Nyayo stadium pitch after their player Ali Abondo was red carded for an obvious foul, is only one of the many instances where Sirkaal's army have ruined a good day out at the beautiful game.
How can this unwelcome spectacle at our stadiums be brought to a conclusive and permanent resolution? Many responses have followed the recent Gor fans misbehaviour. Sports Minister Paul Otuoma summoned FKF and FKL to a meeting, FKF punished FKL's GMT Ottieno and reprimanded Frank Okoth before ordering that future encounters between Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards be staged in Mombasa..
The Stadia Management Board, on its part, banned Gor from playing at Nyayo and Kasarani Stadiums.
Unfortunately, none of these measures is likely to end Gor fans' hooliganism. If I was asked, I would recommend the club be renamed and its culture be modified to reflect modern Kenya. After all, it was formed as a tribal outfit when such associations were fashionable in our Kenya of the time.
Today's Kenya scoffs at tribal groupings, as expressly stated in our brand new constitution. So, to deal with Gor fans recurrent rioting, rename the club 'Nairobi United', or something like that, and encourage club membership from all corners of the republic.
The other side of Gor supporters is that of spoilt, impatient, selfish and ungracious brats. They will start throwing stones at every one and every thing in sight at the slightest provocation. The latest incident where they rained stones onto the Nyayo stadium pitch after their player Ali Abondo was red carded for an obvious foul, is only one of the many instances where Sirkaal's army have ruined a good day out at the beautiful game.
How can this unwelcome spectacle at our stadiums be brought to a conclusive and permanent resolution? Many responses have followed the recent Gor fans misbehaviour. Sports Minister Paul Otuoma summoned FKF and FKL to a meeting, FKF punished FKL's GMT Ottieno and reprimanded Frank Okoth before ordering that future encounters between Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards be staged in Mombasa..
The Stadia Management Board, on its part, banned Gor from playing at Nyayo and Kasarani Stadiums.
Unfortunately, none of these measures is likely to end Gor fans' hooliganism. If I was asked, I would recommend the club be renamed and its culture be modified to reflect modern Kenya. After all, it was formed as a tribal outfit when such associations were fashionable in our Kenya of the time.
Today's Kenya scoffs at tribal groupings, as expressly stated in our brand new constitution. So, to deal with Gor fans recurrent rioting, rename the club 'Nairobi United', or something like that, and encourage club membership from all corners of the republic.
29 January 2012
Origi, please rescind your decision to quit Stars
Hi Origi, I can still vividly recall that October 2011 Saturday afternoon in Kampala, Uganda, when you single handedly saved Kenya from the shame of being trashed by Uganda in the presence of thousands of travelling fans, including Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka.
On that day, every other Harambee Stars player had their tail between their legs but boy, didn't you stand tall and firm in that goal!
Actually, 99% per cent of your performances in Kenya's goal have been so outstanding and reassuring to long suffering Kenyan fans. Every time you have been absent because of injury, we have conceded goals quite stupidly.
Unfortunately, because of these injuries, you have decided to abandon Harambee Stars without a worthy replacement in sight. I know how unrewarding it is to don a Kenyan national team shirt and take the field. What with unending politicking by football chiefs at the expense of caring for players' welfare?
For a Kenyan player, it is more often than not an act of sacrifice to heed a call to national team duty. Even when you are injured, you have to seek treatment back at your club while greedy football chiefs shed crocodile tears, bask in the glory in which they have had little, if any, input, or bandy around unbelievable excuses in case of defeat.
In spite of all that, as an adoring fan of yours, I beseech you to rescind your decision to quit Harambee Stars. Play for us some more, great son of Kenya.
On that day, every other Harambee Stars player had their tail between their legs but boy, didn't you stand tall and firm in that goal!
Actually, 99% per cent of your performances in Kenya's goal have been so outstanding and reassuring to long suffering Kenyan fans. Every time you have been absent because of injury, we have conceded goals quite stupidly.
Unfortunately, because of these injuries, you have decided to abandon Harambee Stars without a worthy replacement in sight. I know how unrewarding it is to don a Kenyan national team shirt and take the field. What with unending politicking by football chiefs at the expense of caring for players' welfare?
For a Kenyan player, it is more often than not an act of sacrifice to heed a call to national team duty. Even when you are injured, you have to seek treatment back at your club while greedy football chiefs shed crocodile tears, bask in the glory in which they have had little, if any, input, or bandy around unbelievable excuses in case of defeat.
In spite of all that, as an adoring fan of yours, I beseech you to rescind your decision to quit Harambee Stars. Play for us some more, great son of Kenya.
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