Football: Matano leads coaches to form rival body
Veteran tactician Robert Matano has led fellow tacticians in forming a new coaches' body named Kenya National Football Coaches Association (KENFOCA) to rival the existing Kenya Football Coaches Association (KEFOCA)
The drive for a new body led by the Tusker FC boss and Bandari technical director Twahir Muhhidin has seen close to 180 coaches already in the loop so far and the process of registering the body already started.
Matano is set to chair the body, deputized by Muhiddin with grassroot coach, based in Kakamega, James Saisi the treasurer. Women Premier League (WPL) three-time winning coach Alex Alumira is the Secretary General.
"This is a positive move aimed at addressing coaches' welfare like the issues of coaches being sacked left right and center without their contracts being respected. Player development is a chain that should not be broken at any stage and that is why the new body has incorporated everyone from grassroots to elite coaches and technical department of the sport for both genders," said Alumira.
According to Alumira, there has been no tangible developments at KEFOCA since the current leadership of former Kenya international Ricky Solomon as chair and Bob Oyugi as SG took over in 2009.
Efforts to admit new members have also been thwarted with snide comments of KEFOCA being for a chosen few.
"Late last year, there were issues of coaches being fired without their contracts being honoured and that did not sit well with many of us.
"Efforts to seek help from KEFOCA were also fruitless and that was frustrating many coaches. One such coach who fell victim to such firing was the late Henry Omino.
"It is during his funeral that the coaches unanimously agreed that instead of fighting with people who are clearly disinterested in finding solutions for our problems, a new body is to be formed," added Alumira.
Documents in our possession indicate that the new body has attracted membership from all levels of coaching.
National team coach Francis Kimanzi leads the elite list alongside Matano, Ulinzi stars' Bernard Nyangweso, Antony Kimani, Zedekiah Otieno among others.
Other notable names in the list that has Kenya Premier League (KPL), National Super League (NSL), WPL and grassroots coaches include former national team tactician Stanley Okumbi, his junior Starlets' counter part Mike Kamure and WPL competitions manager Doreen Nabwire among others.
"We are doing things as per the Sports act guidelines and thus we have a draft constitution and have already engaged a lawyer to help through the process so we do not go against the law. After registration we will seek affiliation with Football Kenya Federation (FKF). This is not a political entity, but an body that will bring both young and old coaches together regardless of their levels of coaching. We as are ready to work with whoever will be in office for the good of the sport," Alumira further said.
