Top management of AFC and Gor fear local challenge

In claiming that none of the current Kenyan coaches could handle Gor Mahia FC or AFC Leopards FC, Gilbert Selebwa only reported a disturbing trend while actually missing the real issue

It’s true the two teams are more than mere football clubs — they are politico-cultural entities. I duly know this, and it’s something we agreed upon during my last discussion around the same with the current chairman of Gor Mahia FC.

The fact that the management of these two clubs have found it easy to deny local coaches leading roles in the teams demands a deeper analysis.

This is not something unique to Kenya nor is it simply an African problem. In short, leaders of the two Kenyan clubs don’t want to offer platforms of development to local coaches simply because of competition. Around the time when Gor Mahia FC offered the job to the current coach, Frank Nuttall, I sat down with the club’s chairman to discuss a possible involvement with the club in that very role. One thing I stressed during the meeting was that my view of the role would be very different from that of a traditional coach. My explanation and the final mutual agreement was grounded purely on the future benefits for the club. In the end, this mutual agreement was never followed upon, even after I produced a league match analysis that was fully accepted, which only raises more actions. Why would a club’s management that is looking into its future development deny a role to a Kenyan who is a former international player, UEFA certified coach, has published books and possesses international experiences in IT and project management? Simple, the clubs’ top management and the political stakeholders who benefit from them don’t want local challengers in what they deem as strategic roles.

In retrospect though, what the current stakeholders of Kenyan football ought to remind themselves of is the stark reality that they cannot wish some of us away. They can only delay our direct involvement into the game, but they will never deny us the ultimate victory. Why? Because we know what we are talking about, and better still, we can survive the challenge of rejection!

John Ooko is an author, electronics engineer and sports consultant.