By Fredrick Nadulli,
The name Sam Nyamweya is synonymous with almost everything negative about football this part of the world. Every time diehards think they have seen the last of him, he rises from the ashes, like the proverbial phoenix, and continues to run roughshod over the sport.
Generations have come and gone with him at the helm, but the game has stubbornly stagnated, with power struggles, endless squabbles and mafia-esque cliques taking centre stage at the Football Kenya Federation secretariat, ignominiously lowering the beautiful game to its knees.
For crying out loud, the football presidency is an elective post, but to some larger than life figures, its like a birth right.
WHO KNEW WHAT WAYS
All national teams, men and women, fall directly under the care of the federation. However, in the past decade or so, there has been nothing to write home about concerning Kenya’s national sides. The script has remained rigidly the same; Kenya has come unstuck against the rest of the continent at all levels.
A rare feat in 2013, when the Harambee Stars lifted the senior challenge cup, victory was watered down by scandals, from teams missing flight tickets to being held up in hotels to allegations of sabotage on the part of Sudan, losing finalists to Kenya that term.Sam Nyamweya’s fingerprints were all over the crime scene, literally.
The senior national team is Africa’s punching bag. The women’s team? do not even start. Youth and junior sides continue to be whipping boys. In sum, there is no progress and worse still, no hope in sight; at least not under Nyamweya and his current administration.
It is only in Kenya where one coach handles all national teams, from youth to senior level. Pray, when shall aspiring young coaches cut their teeth?
When will teams prepare adequately and avoid driving to match venues straight from the airport?
As it stands, we have a lot of ground to cover. Needless to say, under the current regime, not much should be expected.
COLLECT YOUR PENSION
With all due respect, and without sounding rude, the FKF president belongs in Africa’s football museum. His ilk of administrators, who have refused to style up, are fast becoming an endangered species. For lack of better options, lovers of the game are prepared to raise enough funds as pension, just to see the back of such leaders.
At this point in time, Sam Nyamweya cannot bring any new ideas into the modern game.He is way over the hill and seriously bereft of clear guidelines how to steer the Kenyan football ship.
He should do the honourable thing and leave office pronto.
N/B The writer is a former Kenyan International
