AN OPEN LETTER TO AFC LEOPARDS’ PLAYING UNIT

by
Collins Okinyo
September 23, 2014

By Francis Okello Ngira,

Dear Boss,

It’s not out of sarcasm that I have decided to address you as my boss but It’s because I understand my job so well. The ever action hungry eyeballs at home dubbed “the ‘Sofaset branch” always wants to comfortably watch your daunting runs, how true or false that offside, penalty or handball call was, the relevance of that early or last minute substitutions, how beautifully that goal was netted, and the atmosphere on the stands just after that goal or miss.

They demand to be shown all these regardless of what am going through, rain or shine my colleagues and I have to make it happen. You are in one of the many food chains whose interconnectedness plays a vital role in sustaining this ecosystem just like in the food Web; for us to achieve all these, a group of 22 players has to be playing and thats the symbiotic relationship we enjoy.

That’s besides the point anyway for as long as you know what relationship you have with the generous hearts and hands of your sponsors. I’m talking about your fans who most if not all double up as your sponsors. You have reduced your once happy and proud supporters into the country’s if not the region’s laughing stock.

The friendly round table banter in the local bar in Nyalenda has lost it’s bravado and is now one sided. Why? Because your arch rivals ‘Gor wuod Ogallo’ (Gor son of Ogallo) is doing better than you with their meager resources.

Your fan Shitote to whom it’s fashionable to win all daily soccer arguments at the ‘Kamkunjis’ in Kawangware has succumbed to self pity, and become rebellious. You saw what he desperately did to Muhoroni youth using that salt bucket? That was a manifestation of frustrations you have led him into. As if that was not enough, came Coach De jongh’s plight, deflated car tyres in your game against KCB in Mumias. This was sign of discontent pushed to another level. Kindly don’t tempt him into more henious acts.

At the stadium, Ainea’s ‘Isikuti’ drum and his entire ‘gada team’ has gone silent as your shyness infront of goal has allowed him time to notice the exfoliations on his fingers, the ever colourful and jumpy Juma from Nakuru is almost reaching out for his shirt, he can nolonger withstand the cold with nothing to dance or sing along to.

On social network, Boge, my friend Edu Weider, and other fans are feeling incensed by your spate of unpleasant results. “What became of this saying, the sky is the limit, or AFC Leopards has become thier sky?” Asked one your fans on facebook.

Your relegation from the top flight is almost a reality as it is staring at everyone close to with its eyes wide open thus making Gor Mahia’s Alex Ngare and Eugene Messo concerned about the future of the Kenyan derby.

“…Gor Wataisi aje bila simeji?” That was the green army’s commander in chief, Jaro Soja.

The only way to save all these soccer loving fans out of their current inner pain and confusion is simple. First, stop listening to the voice of discouragement and work towards squeezing a win out of all your next opponents in the remaining league matches.

Secondly, you must fight and retain the GOtv shield unless you are sadists who derive joy in leading other ‘Leopards’ into the tunnel in front of a mosaic of angry, disillusioned, and irritable fans.

You must do this to put a smile on the poor but dedicated cane farmer, do it to give the cane cutter a reason to Hum to your anthem as he traverses the narrow sugarcane plantation lanes. Do it to gift that juakali artisan who religiously follows your matches and that university student whose part of study loan savings bought a blue jersey and made sure he has your name on it.

Do it because you owe it to yourselves too.

Sincerely,

That Live sports camera operator who sees a lot of this behind his lens though without sound.

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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