A correct career path worth its weight in gold is one which is laid out on a fine blueprint and followed to the letter, with hurdles and distractions acting as an even bigger spur towards achieving the ultimate goal. Rookies dream to be seasoned hands while amateurs break sweat to assume the coveted tag of professional, all in life’s work.
In Kenya, thanks to hard-line positions and the cruel rigidity of law, many dreams will remain just that, dreams.
NON SANCTIONED LEAGUES
Nairobi Umeme Football Club’s budding talent Joe Wanjiku’s potential move to Georgia side FC Iberia has been put on ice, world football governing body FIFA saying he features in an unsanctioned league. Umeme plays in the Sportpesa Super 8 league that is run and managed by Extreme Sports Limited, a body not affiliated to the Football Kenya Federation.
Granted, it is only national federations that are recognized by FIFA and are authorised to issue International Transfer Certificates – ITCs – to endorse such moves, but by pulling the plug on such transfers, it is the players that bear the greatest brunt of these ignominious supremacy battles stunt the federation is pulling.
In filling the yawning gulf that exists between the grassroots and national federation structures, the Sportpesa Super 8 league provides a much needed missing link and a perfect platform for massive numbers of footballers to grow their fledgling careers and showcase their talent while remaining focused on the bigger picture of rising through the ranks and making it to pro level, potentially beyond the country’s frontiers.
True, rules must be adhered to, but at certain existing levels, they are not cast in stone.
Footballers want to strut their stuff on the field of play, far from the murky politics played in high offices, which they least understand anyway that is why it feels so wrong for FKF to be seen as fighting the emergence of talent.
Extreme sports Ltd as an entity has tried to reach out to the Fkf in a bid to align itself as a subsidiary of the governing body and conform to its statutes, but suspicions and high hurdles placed in its path has rendered any development a non starter.
Ironically the people frustrating key strategic plans between the two bodies going forward were high ranking operatives in previous super 8 structures.
Sadly, for reasons best known to only themselves, these individuals continue to thrive in the proverbial role of Trojan horses, elements that frustrate progress from within the ranks of a system
Stifling their growth and progress on the altar of big man syndrome is akin to putting the cart before the horse, literally.
It’s important to note that Africa’s biggest hiccup has been football development at the grassroots level and that is why World football governing body FIFA has endevoured to propagate football to be played everywhere and anywhere to give all the players an equal opportunity to for growth and a dream to success.
It’s imperative to let the young players achieve their football dreams as any attempt to block their is detrimental to football development any federation hopes to achieve.
It’s always said if you live in a glass house do not throw stones at times a lot of questions prop us why only Extreme Sports the target whereas other like minded organization for example Mysa ,Left foot or even KPL some of play in “unsactioned leagues” are operating peacefully? Without any prejudice that question begs for an answer.
@bonfaceosano
