Kenya’s retired footballers vouch for posts in football governance
Kenyan football legends have decried being overlooked in the governance of the game in the country.
Former Harambee Stars Captain Musa Otieno said it’s a high time players who served the country with diligence were recognized by giving them administrative posts in Football Kenya Federation (FKF).
“We served this country to the best of our ability and it’s high time our lives are improved by giving us slots in the management of the game. It is a sad epitaph that the majority of retired players are leading a life of penury,” said Otieno.
Otieno who played club football for AFC Leopards, Tusker and South Africa’s Sanlam Santos during his career, said its prudent for the old guards to come together and chart the way forward to instil expertise on the current generation.
“We need to come together and see what suits us in our day to day living. Above all as former footballers, the media should give us a platform to analyse local games as one way to empower us,” said Otieno.
Treated with homage
Tusker coach Robert Matano echoed the sentiments, saying the legends have been ignored for long despite having put the country in the continental map.
“The players need to be treated with homage and it would not make sense for us to be used as tools for politics,” said Matano.
FKF presidential aspirant Twaha Mbarak supported the clarion call by Otieno and Matano for the empowerment of the legends through getting seats in the federation.
“Kenya should borrow a leaf from Cameroon where Eto’o (Samuel) is the supremo of the country’s football governing body.
The other idea moving forward is for the legends to register themselves in Saccos to get loans to start small businesses,” said Mbarak.
Mbarak made the calls in a ceremony at City Stadium in which he donated Sh 200,000 towards the legends trip to Uganda on January 24 for a friendly against the hosts on January 27.
Besides the donation Mbarak will also cater for the VIP road transport for the contingent of 25 players and five officials.“my legs were calm and I pushed where I could.”
Supported by his manager Valentijn Trouw who was on a motorbike by 39km Geoffrey remarkably reeled in the leaders.
But despite feeling “good energy” his fitness was not quite sufficient to push on and he wound up fourth – nonetheless securing a big and long-awaited personal best.
