We are not to blame for dwindling football standards in Nyanza, say FKF officials

FROM LEFT: FKF Nyanza North Branch chairman Joseph Andere, NEC member Tom Alila and secretary Dickson Oruko tour Moi Stadium, Kisumu, on June 30, 2014. [PHOTO:COLLINS ODUOR/STANDARD]

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) officials from Nyanza have distanced themselves from the ‘dwindling’ football standards in the region.

Former footballers Apollo Otworo, Agonda Lukio and Omar Adeya had earlier blamed the falling standards on poor management of the sport by Nyanza FKF officials, a view that has since been denied by the federation.

FKF Nyanza National Executive Committee member Tom Alila said the federation has done a lot to ensure that football in the region is run professionally.

“FKF Nyanza played a crucial role in ensuring that Kisumu’s Moi Stadium was given a new face to help harness football talent and it is time local leaders supported us. FKF cannot walk the journey alone,” Alila told FeverPitch.

STERLING PERFORMANCE

Alilas’ sentiments were echoed by FKF Nyanza North branch chairman Joseph Andere who said football standards in Kisumu have improved over the last three years, citing the Kisumu Youth Olympic-sponsored Field Negros FC and Makini School-sponsored Palos FC’s sterling performance in the FKF Nationwide Division One League.

Andere, however, asked the former footballers to be patient, saying the federation cannot pick a team from the Division One and take it straight to the Premier League.

He blamed corporate bodies in the larger Nyanza region for doing very little to support football development.

The FKF Nyanza North Branch Secretary Dickson Oruko said there is need to sit down as football stakeholders and discuss issues affecting football in the region.

Andere said Kisumu should come up with a strong joint team since the region has a lot of talented players who end up in other clubs in the country.

“Football development is a gradual process and it will take time since teams need to move from the Nationwide League to the Super League before they can end up in the Premier League,” he said.