‘Zwang’ calls it a day
Veteran striker Allan Wanga has announced his plans to hang-up his boots at the end of this season.
The former Harambee Stars striker and current captain of Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League side Kakamega Homeboyz said he will end his long football career when the current season comes to an end, to focus on his job at the county government of Kakamega and other private work.
He noted that he has been having a challenge in balancing his training programmes with the club and his county work.
Wanga said his focus will now be in life after football adding that securing his job was important.
He ruled out joining the coaching career adding that it’s a profession he has never admired.
“I don’t have the power to contain the pressure coaches go through during matches. I can’t lie that I admire being on the touchline as a coach,” he told People Sport.
He added: “I have done my best in the last 13 years or more in top flight football and I think it is time for me to vacate the scene for the young generation. I have achieved what any footballer would desire to achieve in his career.
Apart from playing football oversees I have featured for the national team Harambee Stars for 12 years, which I feel is a very big achievement.”
He admitted that age was catching up with him and that he was not as swift as he was when he won the league’s golden boot award 13 years ago.
His decision to retire caught his team mates and technical bench by surprise as they still wanted him to play for the Kakamega based club for a couple more years.
“Coach Muyoti and most of players were at pains to accept that I will no longer be with them at the end of the season.
They still believe I was energetic enough to play for one more season,” he said. He added: “Homeboyz is my second home…I have had a very nice time with the club since joining them.
Everybody here from members of the technical bench, the players and fans are too good to deal with. I will miss them dearly.”
Wanga recalled how it was difficult for him to join Homeboyz with his roots in AFC Leopards who are bitter rivals with his current side.
“There is bad blood between Ingwe and Homeboys and when they (Homeboyz) sought my services.
It was hard to make the decision because I felt that my Ingwe fans would not be happy with my move but I had to make a decision,” he said.
He recalled how at some point his goal contributed to the relegation of Homeboyz when he scored against them while playing for AFC Leopards, in a match that they had to win to survive the axe.
“So my decision to join Homeboyz was to pay back and I think I have done so, becaue the club has made a lot of improvement since I joined.
Most of the players have learnt a lot from my experience and I have also learnt a lot from them,” he said.
Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula said Wanga was apillar to the club and he had added a lot of value to the team during his spell at the side.
