Build young talent, ex-footballers advise
By Gilbert Wandera
After eliminating Sudan from the Africa under-20 qualifiers last weekend, former international players are asking authorities to focus more on building youth football.
The former internationals say it is time for Football Kenya to pay more attention to local youth tournaments like the Sakata Ball Challenge, sponsored by mobile phone company, Safaricom. The former internationals were involved in the tournament at all levels, visiting the remotest locations in Kenya to ensure future gems of football are unearthed.
"We should reposition the way we play and conduct football in the country," said former Harambee Stars legendary winger, Joe Kadenge. He added: "Our commitment should be to ensure a total revolution of football in the country, and the start of this process is through grassroots football."
Kadenge also urged Football Kenya to insist on all Kenya Premier League (KPL) teams having academies. Supporting the idea of building such academies, another former international, Bob Oyugi, said: "These youth academies established under the KPL clubs, will be used as a kind of an elite school for the best, and excellent institution to identify, build an nurture budding football talent across the country."
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Ogolla says players who emerge from these academies would create a large pool of talent for the national team, with the lucky ones following the path of the likes of MacDonald Mariga and Denis Oliech to play professional football in Europe.
FKL will then be required to conduct regular spot-check on the Kenya Premier League clubs to assess their youth programmes, and make sure they meet international criteria and standards.
Allan Thigo, regarded as the best midfielder Kenya has ever produced, and who played for the Harambee Stars in his heydays between 1968-1979, says unless Kenya puts the necessary structures in place, the country will find it difficult to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations being co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in 2012 and the World Cup in 2014.