Importance of Players Welfare-Opinion from the expert Scott Robins

By Scott Robins,

Our players go out onto the pitch each week determined to put in a spirited performance. One where they are proud to have pulled on their team jersey and to give fans something to cheer about. However, at the end of the day who is looking after them to ensure they can give their best out on the pitch?

Some of our officials must really be questioned about the state of pitches across East Africa. How more of our players do not end up with career ending injuries is beyond me. The pitches that I have seen presented in Kenya and Uganda are nothing short of disgusting to put it bluntly. As a passionate fan of the beautiful game, I am calling out the sports ministers to come to the party.

Even at national competitions like CECAFA, that should be the pinnacle for international footballers locally, the pitches are in a state of disarray. This is endemic across Africa and not just a problem associated to East Africa. I played on better pitches as a ten year old then the pitches presented during these tournaments.

The Nyayo stadium and the Nelson Mandela National stadium are in desperate need of some urgent attention to be anywhere close to a national standard. How our associations can be proud of these pitches is beyond me. We expect our teams to qualify for world cups, yet if we cannot produce a decent pitch up to world class standard then we are shooting ourselves in the foot.

How more players do not injure themselves on these pitches is beyond me. A player’s career is short at best and to ensure we are getting the best out of them we need to safeguard their health on and off the pitch. This would also help improve the standard of football we are playing.

Injuries are part and parcel of a player’s career which needs to be carefully managed. When players get injured where are the medical staff attending to their needs to guarantee them a speedy return back to the team. Who is looking after their wellbeing to ensure that injuries are kept to a minimum or that when a player does come back they are not going to reinjure them self. By having skilled professionals on the team roster it will assist in player welfare.

This will help monitor player fitness and guarantee players are performing at peak whether they are training or playing a game. With the advances in technology that have been made, we should know when a player is fatigued and when they need to be benched. As soon as teams and associations take this into consideration professionalism in our sport locally will take another jump. Another important person to have on the team roster is a dietician.

A dietician or sports nutritionists makes certain players are getting the right dietary requirements and supplements to help increase and maintain muscle definition. These professionals help guide and advise our players what they should be putting into their bodies on a weekly basis to get the best out of their careers.

Player’s careers need to be carefully managed and it worries me across East Africa this is not happening. Everyone seems to have their hands out, but who is looking after the player’s best interest. By the time everyone takes their share of money from the pot I am surprised the players have anything left to go home with.

Yet it is they who provide the entertainment on the pitch for fans to appreciate. They are the ones who bring the fans through the gate and provide income for clubs and we should really be looking after them. Clubs and associations need to bring in external assistance to advise players on how to look after their money to help it go further.

As mentioned previously a footballers career is short, without maximising their revenue on the pitch life after they finish will be difficult. We should be giving our players advice on how to invest their money or make the most out of their personal brands through increased sponsorship and endorsements. Yes the clubs pay the players but do they own them ? Do players understand how to maximise their brand while they are a player.

This is where a players agent should come to the fore and advise on how to interact and make the most out of their career. Without this guidance it is difficult for a player to understand what will help and what will hinder their career. I have also seen on my overseas travels where clubs also give career guidance on life after football and provide career training and classes during the week when they players are not playing or training.

Last but not least our football administrators should be also looking after player welfare. It is ridiculous we are sending players to international friendlies which do not end up happening due to miscommunication. You can only begin to imagine what it is like to be called up to your national team to find out after travelling into the middle of nowhere that a mistake has been made and you are not going to play.

We are becoming the laughing stock of international football, and we as fans deserve and should demand better. If we cannot ensure friendlies between other teams on the continent how we are going to draw big teams like Brazil, Germany or the Netherlands to come and play us. Administrators need to ensure life is as smooth as possible for footballers to travel to and from games with a minimum of fuss, only then as fans can we expect great performances out on the pitch.

After all is said and done it is the players that produce a product for the fans and the teams and associations which recognise this quicker will not only see an increase in professionalism but should also expect better results out on the pitch.

Have a great weekend football fans, be blessed and may your produce a performance that has you singing in the stands!

NB:The writer is an expert in Sports development in different topical issues and the general manager at one of the top World’s Sports graphics companies Alston Elliot.

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