In 1987, I keenly followed you as you progressed through the preliminary stages of the then African Cup Winners Cup (Nelson Mandela Cup) and currently, the CAF Confederation Cup, before finally destroying Esperance FC of Tunisia in the final to make history as the only regional club to have lifted a Continental trophy.
Twenty Eight years later that record still stands. I have just witnessed another record-equalling performance by you as you have won the 2015 SportPesa Premier League undefeated. The fact that you have won the premier league title three times in a row surely makes you one of the greatest football squads ever assembled in Kenya. In that respect, allow me to salute your coaches and their technical committees as well.
Even as you made every one in Kenya's football tremble in your wake. You went to Tanzania and made us proud by ably competing at the 2015 CECAFA Club Championship. I still believe you were capable of beating Azam FC of Tanzania in the final but somehow, you just did not put up a real performance when it mattered most.
As I am writing this, you are right on target to win all trophies available locally and doing that will only enhance your pedigree some more.
At this juncture, allow me to warn you that success has its costs. The values of most of your players must have increased from what they were at the beginning of the season. As such, it is not a matter of if but, rather, when people will come calling at your door with tempting deals to lure your star performers away. Even your coach might become a target of this talent raid. Yo need to put up a real fight to keep your great squad together.
Even as you try to guard your players and coaches from covetous suitors, you need to strengthen in your areas of weakness. I can tell you for free that you need to bring in a star goalkeeper if you intend to - and you need to - put up a decent performance at the continental stage next year. I believe you also need to get in a star defender and midfielder as well.
For the year 2016, I set for you the targets of successfully defending or winning your local competitions, but more important, I would love to see you winning the 2016 CECAFA Club Championship and progressing to the group stages of the CAF Champions League. Do that and you begin to re-establish yourselves as a continental football force once again.
I cannot conclude this letter without paying tribute to your great army of supporters - what could Kenyan stadiums look like without the colourful green army? My humble request is that your followers - or the few bad elements - drop the ugly habit that is football hooliganism. You will realise that doing that will actually enhance your reputation as you hunt for sponsors - a highly valuable component of modern football.
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