By Fredrick Nadulli aka Razor,

The ignominious ouster of Kenya by Lesotho in an Afcon qualifier over two legs left a bitter taste in the mouth of football faithful and cast a gloomy shadow over the future of the sport in the country.That the Mambas check-mated the Stars means no chance for Morrocco 2015 and no meaningful international action for a while to come.
Admittedly,we are back to familiar territory;ground zero.

Not that it came as a surprise.Kenya huffed and puffed to get past island nation Comoros in the preliminary stage before eventually setting a date with Lesotho,hitherto considered African minnows.Lest we forget,the Mambas have never graced the nations cup in their history.Kenya were last there a decade ago,in Bizerte,Tunisia.

In the wake of this defeat,the FKF,the body that runs the sport has been thrust into the spotlight,not for the first time,for their characteristic ineptitude and serious bungling of the national team’s affairs.

NYAYO FIASCO

When fans trooped into the Nyayo stadium in their usual multitudes,they expected to cheer their team to a commanding victory and safe passage to the group-stage and final qualifiers.It was not to be.Kenya fielded its best options available,home and overseas based,with the only exception perhaps being goalkeeper Arnold Origi.Wilson Obungu stood in well for him.Head coach Adel Amrouche was missing for obvious reasons and his backroom staff assumed the mantle.

For a team littered with stars,we failed to penetrate the Lesotho rearguard.A single goal is what we needed to send it to the wire.Nothing doing.

After the fiasco,the FKF came out guns blazing and dismissed the entire technical bench.It was a knee-jerk reaction which the fans refused to buy.Many argued that it was a ploy by the federation to cover for their own failures.As the people charged with the responsibility of laying platforms for proper results and structures,they had fallen way too short.

“Even if we hired Sir Alex Ferguson today,with the current team in office Kenya will go nowhere”,an agitated fan thundered.”By presidential decree the FKF should be sent home”,another mulled.

THE COUNTRY AT RANSOM

With security of tenure in office firmly etched in their minds,the top honchos have made it their business to run the beautiful game like it were private business.Knowing full well that they have the backing of FIFA in matters administration,and any outside interference spelling doom for our already ailing football,the Lords of impunity have knowingly or otherwise brought the game to its knees.
When the Sam Nyamweya-led team took office with gusto,they promised change and a whole paradigm shift in the way of running soccer.

Result zero.What they forgot is that the risk of delayed action means the new team is soon either compromised or forced to resign to the dictates of the old order.For dear Kenya,it was the proverbial new wine in old wine skins.
The country has seen enough and after the Lesotho defeat,fans are calling on the FKF to set sail.

KENYA GOING FORWARD

Truth be told,some of the aggrieved fans’ statements make perfect sense.With the current administration,not even a hundred years will see change for the better.They have failed and the honourable thing to do is leave.

If push comes to shove,the president,who has recently shown interest in the team,should just crack the whip and risk the FIFA wrath.Sometimes somethings must give for others to flourish.
A two-year international ban while we put our house in order is not too harsh.Better still,we shall forever have seen the backs of some of these trojan horses.

N/B The writer Fredrick Nadulli aka Razor is a former Mathare United player and Kenyan International

Collins Okinyo

Ex- CAF Media Expert. An expert on African football with over 15 years experience ,always with an ear to the ground with indepth knowledge of the game. I have worked for top publications including 7 years at www.supersport.com until i founded www.soka25east.com to quench the thirst of football lovers across the continent. I have trained young upcoming journalists who are now a voice in African football.I have covered World Cup,AFCON,CHAN,Champions League,Confederations Cup,Cecafa,Cosafa,Wafu and many other football tournaments across the World. Founder Football Africa Arena(FAA),Founder www.afrisportdigital.com