Ken Kenyatta returns to KPL after a decade long absence

He was in charge of a team that lost only twice, drew five times and won a resounding 15 matches in the Nationwide League in 2013 season.

Ken Kenyatta, the former Harambee stars shot-stopper hanged his gloves after a career halting injury back in 2000.

He is however back to the fold, only this time, as a Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) FC coach.

 Kenyatta is however coy about his chances in the Kenya Premier league.

 “I always take one match at a time,” he says.

But like every other retired top soccer player, he can’t help lamenting about the sorry state of Kenyan football, especially at the grass roots level.

The sport is only organised at the top level, he says.

Teams in the Nationwide League have to fend for themselves, pay the referee, buy balls and pay for the stadia and security.

This makes it hard for community football teams to survive the competition, since they don’t have resources to compete with institutional teams.

“The level of match officiating is wanting, at best.

When the wages of the referee have to be determined by the teams playing, by and large, there is a bigger chance that money will change hands leading to unfair victories, or, defeats to some teams,” laments Kenyatta. 

Since fans don’t pay to watch the games, he explains, players can only be paid meagre salaries, if any.

The morale of players to work hard towards professional football is, therefore, killed as they struggle to make ends meet.

“We need structures to tap talents at a tender age, otherwise it becomes hard for players to adopt and understand tactical soccer approaches when they grow up,” explains the former stopper.

So what can fans expect from the new boys?

“Football should be entertainment.

 Fans pay to enjoy the flow of the game.

My philosophy is that of efficient passing, clinical tackles and clever breaks to limit the opponent. Fans in the KPL are bound to see some pretty football, Arsenal style because when I want to sign a player, I consider the ability to pass, create space and play for the team.

‘‘Of course discipline is basic to any player, no matter how talented he or she is.

I never compromise on it, and my players know that,’’ he says.

The Holland trained coach and his charges will use the renovated Machakos Stadium as their home ground.

Kenyatta also laments about the local transfer market, saying it is immature, unregulated and unprofessional.

A case in point is when AFC Leopards signed Mohamed Hasan, one of KRA best players, without proper negotiation.

At the time of this interview with the coach, the player was training with AFC but on contract with KRA.

Without a transfer fee agreed on, the club cannot draw a player release, a situation, which raises bad blood between players and coaches, says Kenyatta.