Nakuru County Football Association's best footballers feted

Extreme Sports Head of Operations Athanas Obango presenting a trophy to Manyani Soccer club players during the Nakuru Premier League gala Awards at Nakuru ASK Show on November 18,2023.[Kipsang Joseph,Standard]

Cash prizes and trophies received by outstanding players, coaches and referees in the Nakuru County Football Association (CFA) League Gala has inspired them to ensure some of her players get selected into future national teams.

As a past cradle of international football stars, the teams led by newly crowned football champions Manyani Soccer Club are not relenting until one of their own land in the national team, Harambee Stars

"We are determined to lead Nakuru to its former glory of having some of her players consistently get selected on merit in all cadres of national teams," said Manyani Soccer Club head coach Bernard Otieno.

Otieno emerged as the best coach in the ceremony which saw them receive accolades from Extreme Sports Head of Operations Athanas Obango in the company of National Legends Initiative chairman Peter 'Kass Kass' Kamau.

As the league champions, Manyani SC pocketed Sh70,000 besides with their custodian Vincent Ondiek receiving Sh5,000 same as Otieno after being voted as the top goalkeeper.

Emmanuel Malucho of Wembley Youth was the top scorer and Alfred Otieno of Nakuru Stars the Most Valuable Player with each scooping Sh5,000.

Nakuru Valley was the Most Disciplined Team with James Onenga emerging as the best referee.

Extreme Sports Head of Operations Athanas Obango presenting a trophy to Manyani Soccer club players during the Nakuru Premier League gala Awards at Nakuru ASK Show on November 18,2023.[Kipsang Joseph,Standard]

Besides the league champions, Ever Stars emerged as runners up (Sh50,000), Wembley Youth (Sh20,000) as the play off winners and Machinery FC was fourth (Sh10,000).

Kamau 'Kass Kass' said he was determined to have gala be an annual affair in the county.

"This kind of gala must be an annual affair for the motivation of our players, which is a global practice world over," said Kamau who is a former Kenya Under 20 international winger who featured for Eldoret KCC, Kisumu Posta and Shabana in the Kenyan Premier League in the eighties.

Former international referees Bernard Ouma and Hesbon Mbogo were among experienced officials who officiated at the ceremony.