Are Kenya's football administrators primed to self destruct?

Just when pieces were nicely falling in place to roll-off another pleasant stretch for Kenyan soccer lovers, the local mafia that is Kenya football managers spoilt the party - again.

We are coming off a celebratory mood after Supersport extended their sponsorship for the Kenyan Premier League, the national under 20 lads have walloped Sudan 3 -0 to book a date with Lesotho, the senior team has drawn 1-1 with Tanzania - in Dar es Salaam - before teaching Ethiopia a footballing lesson with a 3 - 0 hiding - in Addis Ababa, our stand out professionals Mariga and Oliech have kicked off the new season with valuable match-play time, spirits are high in camp as the team prepares for Guinea Bissau - what more could a football romantic ask for?

Then come departure time, a shocker! Football Kenya Limited had forgotten the simple logistical necessity of completing travel arrangements in time. After the coaching and playing units have shown so much enthusiasm in the training camp, why should the administrators display such ineptitude?

Someone should have impressed upon the government the need for early allocation of air tickets. Someone should have learnt in ample time of the difficulties of finding connecting flights to Guinea Bissau and West Africa in general.

How is it that players can be aware of these difficulties and not the the football managers? Could someone be sleeping on the job? As it is, players might arrive in Bissau quite jaded - if they make it in time at all.

Let us hope that this unfortunate turn of events does not rob us of the great opportunity we have of starting the 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifiers on a winning note. If we come back from Bissau carrying a defeat, we all know whom to throw it at.

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For an up-coming poor footballing youngster in a Kenyan backstreet, there probably can never be a more apt motivating factor than Macdonald Mariga driving into camp in an imposing red Hummer.

Things looking up for Kenyan football

Recently, the Kenya Premier League company (KPL) received about Ksh one billion from Supersport to run the league between now and 2015. Mr Elly Kalekwa, the KPL chairman, revealed that thanks to the deal, KPL clubs will earn almost double what they got under the expiring deal.

This is definitely a strong statement of commitment to Kenya football from Supersport, which envisions a future of football where the huge sums currently spent to acquire broadcast rights for European leagues will be committed to African leagues.

Already, the benefits of the expiring US$ 5.5 million deal are visible to football lovers-the Kenyan league has greatly improved. Football fortunes in Kenya have been so transformed that foreign players are being lured to display their talent here, which is remarkable considering that barely five years ago, there was no foreign player in the local league and Kenyan players had grown accustomed to seeking greener pastures in the regional leagues of Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia.

KPL players are now very competitive and motivated, which can only lead to better football performances in the country. The latest evidence of this progress is Kenya's qualification for the next stage of the African under 20 chamionships, after the local lads bundled Sudan out with a 3 - 0 thrashing.

With the improving organisation and compensation for local footballers, one can only hope that it is only a matter of time before Kenyan clubs return to winning ways on the continental stage.

It is important to point out that Supersport's intervention itself was preceded by a confidence-inspiring professionalism injected into the game by KPL, which has greatly transformed the running of Kenyan football within a span of five years. Gone are the days when league champions were determined through boardroom deals or when relegation of a team depended on whether it enjoyed political or administrative patronage

The achievements attained point to greater possibilities, if only we can banish politics and corruption from the country's football administration. Every aspect of local football, from the living standards of players and officials, the competitiveness of Kenyan football, to officiating and coaching, would receive a tremendous boost if we embraced this mindset.

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Local referees are set to benefit from a three year Ksh four million kit sponsorship deal, where Umbro, the British sports manufacturer, will donate kit for all 64 referees. The downside, however, is that the deal is not inclusive of boots supply. Shouldn't KPL have negotiated some more to obtain a complete package?

Interesting comments by journalists after 2010 Afcon draw

Following the 2010 African Cup of Nations final qualifying round draw, which placed Nigeria, Tunisia, Kenya and Mozambique in group B, I was amazed to read an assertion by a local journalist that Kenya has never beaten Tunisia. The fact is that Kenya beat Tunisia in Nairobi 1-0 during the Fourth All African Games held in 1987.

Another journalist declared in a head line: "Group of death" Kenya's group doesn't look that frightening, really. We can easily beat Mozambique home and away and secure the third qualifier slot - depending of course, on how we prepare for the qualifiers. To me, Group A, consisting of Cameroon, Morocco, Gabon and Togo looks more like it! One giant from this group is likely never going to see Angola 2010.