From mud huts to big stadiums: Starlets players sign big deals

Kenya has already exported five players to top European clubs, thanks to Starlets’ successful campaign last season.

Goalkeeper Annedy Kundu, Ruth Ingotsi, Corazone Aquino, Cynthia Shilwatso and Mwanalima Adam have all put Kenya on the global map with either their confirmed deals or impending moves to Europe.

The quintet joins Esse Akida (F.C. Ramat HaSharon-Israel), Christine Nafula and Mary Kinuthia (both at Dalhem IF-Sweden) on the list of Kenyans playing abroad.

These developments mark a sudden paradigm shift from West and North Africa as scouts have started keeping tabs on Kenya.

Though legendary Doreen Nabwire remains one of the most successful Kenyan female star and the first female professional footballer to have played in a European League, the current trend is encouraging.

Starlets’ players have dominated the headlines in recent weeks with their moves abroad and many believe this is a start of a long term change in fortunes for women’s football.

Despite missing a ticket to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games by a whisker after losing 3-2 on aggregate to Zambia’s Shepolopolo in the penultimate round of the qualifiers in November, Starlets gave a good account of themselves on continental scene.

And they went on to redeem themselves a few weeks later by lifting their first Cecafa Championship title in Tanzania when they saw off holders and hosts Kilimanjaro Queens 2-0 in the final.

That feat in Dar-es-Salaam combined with their shocking 1-0 triumph over giants Ghana in the Olympic qualifiers seems to have been a turning point to the careers of many of these players who mostly come from humble backgrounds.

They have endured torrid times in the cash-strapped Women’s Premier League, but it is now time for them to the show the world what they are made of.

These deals might end up meaning more for the country as a whole than it does for the players themselves.

Though the mass movement of players abroad have been celebrated in footballing circles across the country, nobody has questioned the eligibility of the agents involved or if they are just out to exploit the raw talent.

Definitely, the one-way movement will be beneficial to the national team as it allows the players to train regularly with the best in the world, but the question is whether their parent clubs gained anything from the deals.

Well, many Kenyans now expect the players to not only improve their skills and national team’s fortunes  but also improve their financial circumstances, lift their families back home as fans revel in their achievements.

And it is Eldoret Falcons duo of goalkeeper Annedy Kundu and defender Ruth Ingotsi who started off what is turning out to be an exciting movement of Kenyan players abroad when they penned down a three-year deal with Cyprus outfit Lakatamia FC early last month.

The two ladies from Malava Constituency, Kakamega County were among the lucky Starlets players to have been scouted during the regional tournament in Tanzania.

Midfielder Corazon Aquino followed by completing her dream move from Gaspo Youth to Portuguese top-tier side Atletico Ouriense this week, while Vihiga Queens midfielder Cynthia Shilwatso has landed a three-year deal at Spanish top tier side EDF Logrono.

Thika Queens forward Mwanalima Adam is set to travel to Sweden for trials at Club Djurgardens IF with more departures expected in the coming months in what appears to be a new dawn for women’s football.

Though most of the players have a tale of hardship behind them, they have already started dreaming of good life.

Aquino, who was unveiled as Atletico player on Wednesday, is determined to make a success of herself in a foreign land and uplift the living standards of her family.

“It has been one of my dreams to play in Europe. I tried out in Sweden, but I wasn’t successful. This is a step forward in my career and an opportunity to play with some of the best players in the world. It is also a chance to not only change my life but also change the lives of my family and make a name for myself,” Aquino said.

Aquino, who is set to become the first ever Kenyan player to in the Portuguese top tier added: “Honestly speaking, I’m not surprised with how we are suddenly attracting interest from European clubs. Definitely, I expected last year’s impressive performance to open doors for us. This is just the beginning of good things to come.”

Instrumental Shilwatso is equally excited over her impending move to EDF Logrono. “I’m more than excited to have secured a deal in Spain. I will give my best and open doors for more Kenyans. I’m still around, but will be leaving for Spain in the coming weeks,” Shilwatso said.

“I think this is the moment for us to stamp our authority in the continent by sealing many moves abroad. This deal means a lot to my family.”

But for Adam, it is no coincidence that Kenya has started to export its talent to Europe.

“Nobody had given us a chance last season, but we gave our best on the field and things have now started coming our way. I think this is just a tip of the iceberg for this golden generation. We worked hard in 2019 and now 2020 is a year of reaping,” Adam said.

“For your information, scouts started trailing us after we beat Ghana in the Olympic Qualifiers and then pitched camp in Tanzania during Cecafa. Commitment, hard work and coach (David Ouma) have a played a big role in the sudden improvement of our game. We look forward to doing better in this year’s events.”

Harambee Starlets head coach David Ouma is more than happy with these developments as his decision to have faith in the youngsters appears to have started paying off.

Ouma was heavily criticised last year after he overlooked the experienced players led by Israel-based attacker Esse Akida, former captain Wendy Achieng, Neddy Atieno and Mary Kinuthia for youthful players.

“We have enormous talent in Kenya. What we need to do is to continue investing in scouting and developing these talents. This journey started way back in 2016 at Awcon in Cameroon. It is after the tournament that we developed a scouting plan and system for transition,” Ouma said.

“I had to take a bold decision and bring in some new players last year and the results are now here for everyone to see. The players are now turning professional. There is a paradigm shift in Africa and more focus is now on Kenya. So, expect more scouts to come to Kenya.

“A few years ago our players were going for trials first but right now they are signing in Europe without basically being tried out," Ouma said.

But has has warned the foreign-based players that no one is assured of a place in his team ahead of their two-legged 2020 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations qualifiers tie against Tanzania in April.

“This movement is good for Kenyan football as it will help our players improve their careers and also bring competition in the national team.

“We are going to keenly monitor their performances abroad because selection will be purely on performance. Nobody is assured of a place in the team. But we also need to make our league more competitive,” he said.

And according to Doreen Nabwire, Kenya’s pioneer professional female soccer player (Werder Bremen and FC Koln in German), Kenya is slowly becoming a force to reckon with in the continent.

 “I think it’s time. This is a golden opportunity for our players, and we have waited for far too long to achieve this,” she said.