Football rivalry is good for the game

By Roy the Great Karuhize

Life is boring without enemies. Okay, let me be politically correct and call them ‘rivals’.

Over the last month, Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards performances have outdone a Tour de France cyclist sniffing super glue.

Both teams had coaches who came at a price, and have so lived up to every otongolo (coins) submitted and more. Sometimes indeed going white is really right and let us be honest.

We have the talent but the average mwananchi concentrates for a maximum period of 18 minutes per hour (as per my Mtaa Brothers latest opinion polls).

What the mzungus do is help us focus and keep our eyes on the prize. All the reason Gor and AFC are concentrating on winning trophies and not technical bench politics.

But let us get to the heart of the matter this week, which is, celebrating the big enemies being back on top. It is not that I don’t like underdogs. In fact, I celebrate when they upset the cart, but this time we need the big ones back to build the league credibility.

 Rivalry is important for sport to excel. Sometimes good, old basic hatred can carry more value – the greater the rivalry, the bigger and better the battle.

The melodious exchange of harsh words through matatu windows before the game adds to the glitz and the drama of the game.

 Where rivalry simmers down, so does the interest of fans leaving the stadiums empty and the players not pushed to excel.

Several times in life you need someone to be against you to excel. As the city council become rougher on hawkers, the more the creativity of the hawkers develops to sell goods in zero time, before the marutis arrive.

AFC and Gor’s rivalry at the top has elevated the delivery of the players and revitalised the commitment of the fans, creating deeper interest and investment in the league.

If it were the smaller teams floating at the top of the league, I guarantee you that the only people talking about the local league would be the unpaid referees, their wives and both their mpango wa kandos.

So the moral of the story is, a few insults bring out the best in us. I mean, ladies if your workmate did not tukana you and your ancestors, you would still have that five bob weave!