Shark Attack: Will Kariobangi Sharks fry Everton?

Kariobangi Sharks after winning this year's SportPesa Cup in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, yesterday. [Courtesy]

Kariobangi Sharks, the winners of the 2019 SportPesa Cup, was founded in 2000. It took over 10 years to join the then Kenya Football Federation (KFF) Nationwide League in 2011, the National League in 2013 and finally the Kenya Premier League (KPL) in 2015. Kariobangi Sharks are now the regional SportPesa champions after beating Bandari FC 1 – 0 in the just concluded tournament held in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

As Kenyans congratulate them for winning ‘ugenini’ we have to be patient about their true pedigree. Was it a fluke or a true laboured win for a club on an upward trajectory?

Sometime last year I compared Sharks with a ‘teacher’s child’ in reference to my primary school days when the policy was that the teacher who started with pupils in class one went with them all the way to class three.

When they stopped using pencils they were handed over to a different teacher who showed them how to use ink pens. Almost all the teacher’s kids in our school got good positions until they reached upper primary where the weak ones were exposed. Kariobangi Sharks started with Stanley Okumbi and now are under William Muluhya

I remember arguing that Kariobangi Sharks would not be relegated and would achieve a respectable position and even clinch the league trophy altogether. Well, they may just take it in 2019 just watch how other teams including Gor Mahia perceived to be stronger are falling like dominoes. It is indeed on record that K’Ogalo has never beaten Sharks in a straight game.

Sharks started last year and they reached ‘Class 4’ when they were hammered by Ghana’s Asante Kotoko in the CAF Confederation clash in 2018. Well, they compensated that loss by whitewashing opponents in the SportPesa Supercup to prove that they have a very bright future. They will now face Everton later in the year for another ‘Class 4’ test.

Has Kariobangi Sharks arrived? Can they survive without Nick Mwendwa’s patronage? Are they the real terrifying sharks? Sports observers are wondering how they conquered in Dar and which secrets they employed in their journey.  Like Mathare United FC before them, they draw their inspiration from the fact that they originate from one of Nairobi’s frightening slums. They have a structure that works for them in terms of age group stages which feeds the senior team. This helps them identify players who understand their club philosophy of ‘cheza vizuri, toka ghetto uende majuu’.

Unlike Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, Sofapaka and others, Kariobangi Sharks actually pays salaries for real. The entire squad that was carried to Dar had been paid their December salaries and so had no reason not to play their hearts out. They left Nairobi without rent arrears. In short, they were focused for the tournament.

I do not want to compare them with the K’Ogalo and Ingwe brigade for the same tournament.

Just to mention in passing, most past federation heads have had their teams winning the league trophy. If Sharks win this year’s cup it should not be a surprise. Joab Omino, Alfred Sambu, Ken Matiba achieved the feat. Sam Nyamweya did not have a club as search although he was perceived to be close to Shabana FC.

By conquering beyond the borders, Sharks have shown that they can punch beyond their weight. Knockout tournaments, however, are sometimes akin to the English FA Cup where minnows relish upsetting giants.

Past clubs that trod their path are Shabana, Mumias, Rivatex, Nzoia Sugar, Sony Sugar, Bandari and Mathare. Somehow they managed to either win the league trophy or a knock-out tournament to enable them represent Kenya at the regional or continental level. I am sure many football fans can remember how Gor Mahia played against Zamalek of Egypt in 1984 and Esperance of Tunisia in 1987, AFC Leopards against Egyptian side Al Ahly in Bukhungu and Tusker against FC Mbilinga from Gabon and DR Congo’s Daring Club Motema Pemebe in Nairobi. I humbly ask, is there any serious Kenyan football fan who remembers how Mathare United or Bandari played against any foreign team in a continental fixture? Mathare, for instance drew at home against AS Dragons of DR Congo in the second leg of the Africa Cup Winners’ Cup at Kasarani in 1999 and crashed out of on a 4-2 aggregate. Two years later, they drew again with Egypt’s Ismaily for the Africa Cup Winners Cup in 2001 but hardly progressed further.

I pray and hope what Kariobangi Sharks did was not a fry in the pan. They have to convince Kenyans that they are not the favoured special child of the Class teacher. They must grab this year’s SportPesa league title to allow them the bragging rights as they jet out to play at Goodison Park.

Pullout quote: This helps them identify players who understand their club philosophy of ‘cheza vizuri, toka ghetto uende majuu’