You have to feel sorry for Frank Nuttall, the K’Ogalo coach after the Cecafa final loss.
But every sign indicates that his first full season at K’Ogalo will end in a career peak.
At just 45, his coaching CV will be decorated with not only two league titles, but an unbeaten run of 23 games so far, besides chasing the GOtv shield as well as the Super 8. Where do you go from there? Where does the hunger to repeat the success come from, knowing the only ambition is to replicate perfection?
If Nuttall celebrates with a league title, the GOtv Shield and Super 8 trophies at the end of the season, he will instantly become a coach destined to spend a career trying to keep up with, and being judged against, his illustrious past. Every misstep he makes in future will direct critics to cynically take a look at his historic 2015 campaign.
It will be a job well done for navigating K’Ogalo into the stratosphere this season. If he can just do the same thing next season — but just a little bit better — that would be splendid. At K’ogalo, you only get a few months off after reinventing the wheel before they expect you to come up with something fresh.
Worse still for Nuttall is that the credit for K’Ogalo’s success is likely to be claimed beyond the dugout, since essentially the modern history of K’Ogalo will always perceive Bobby Williamson and Zdravko Logarusic as the pioneering architects, with others merely building on what has been left behind with the help of foreign players.
Sure, there will be admiration for Nuttall’s ability to mould a team and get the best out of Michael Olunga and Meddy Kagere. But beneath this, there will be envy and mutterings about how he is benefiting from the legacy of others.
There are suggestions that Nuttall has had enough and may move on to greener pastures, most likely South Africa. It is no surprise. Football management in Kenya seems to be more about appeasing fans and narcissistic players.
The Kenya Football Coaches’ Association bemoans the lack of respect for its members in the Kenyan Premier League (KPL). Sammy Omollo ‘Pamzo’ won the league in 2011 with Tusker and his man-management was such that his entire squad seemed to be in mourning after his exit. The former Kenyan international was deemed too popular by some and unable to tame the club’s superstars.
This, of course, is in stark contrast to Robert Matano – who left a year after winning the league because (it was said) the players could not stand him. Essentially, the greatest threat to a manager’s position in KPL is more than just results.
Once they get fed up with you, no explanation is considered too preposterous for making a change. You can be too popular, too unpopular, fail to win...you name it.
If K’Ogalo wins a treble, It will never get any better for Nuttall. He might as well move on...on his own terms in pursuit of fresh challenges, knowing that the only way to eclipse winning everything with the best collection of attacking players that ever graced the KPL, is to do it again with less-gifted players.