The new administration in football led by the charming Nick Mwendwa has been a leadership where Kenyans have a lot of hope in. Football fans, for example, are optimistic that Mwendwa will raise the standard of football in the country, through the local league and the performance of the team in international levels.
It is a leadership where Kenyans and especially football lovers hope will make Kenya improve in the FIFA rankings through good performance. This began when the president appointed a more youthful coach to lead the national team. The coach who has dealt with the junior teams has also gone ahead in selecting younger players into the national team as a way to grow the talent from the grassroots.
Kenyans have hope in this leadership, to change the whole football sector and bring sanity into our league. This should be shown in transparency and good leadership.
The first milestone to the new administration will be seen this week when Kenya travels to Guinea-Bissau for the 2017 AFCON qualifiers. This is the real test for Coach Stanley Okumbi and the team to help return the glory of the national football team.
The outcomes of this first leg will paint a good picture of where we are and our future prospects. It is good to involve young players and an equally youthful coach in matters national football and as Kenyan citizens.
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However, the idea of carrying a whole team of 18 delegates to Guinea-Bissau is something to debate about. It has already started to paint a picture of the new administration. Tickets and accommodation expenses for the team will mean the federation will spend extra expected in the journey.
What is the need of having an 18 man squad traveling to Guinea-Bissau in the first place? A number less than 10 would have worked anyway. Isn’t it too extravagant? It was not necessary to have all these people travelling to attend the match because it illustrates an administration that will be spending more money that should be used in developing young talents. This is the same thing we have been experiencing and we expected a change from the norm.
