well, this is it. Today is FIFA's deadline for us to put our house in order. We clearly haven't (yet) but things are looking up after the meeting with CAF officials yielded some results. AND CAF put a Kenyan referee in charge of an Africa Cup of Nations match - this can only be good news. Let's hope today we get even better news: may they please lift the damn ban!
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Which is Your Favorite Team
I love KCB because in the 2003 season I went to almost all their games - my cousin was playing for them then. That year they won a cup competition - I'm not sure which one! So, readers, which team do you guys like the most? Leave a comment saying why.
As you can see, I included Supastrikas. Here's why.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
This Week in Kenya Football
The happenings of this week, though few, are very significant. There is hope yet for our football as the CAF meetings convened by Kamanda bore fruit. The meeting convened at the request of CECAFA Secretary General Nicholas Musonye to CAF President Issa Hayatou confirmed, four resolutions to be implemented immediately, enabling the country regain re-admittance back into international football. These are:
- That there be a full implementation of the 28-point Cairo agreement. It was noted that KFF/CAF/FIFA were party to the agreement and the revival of Kenyan Football has to be based along the path agreed upon in Cairo.
- That the Minister of Sports of the Government of Kenya, cease with immediate effect, further interferance of the running of football in the country. The minister had earlier made a committment to CAF president Issa Hayatou that he will no longer interfere with KFF and it's affiliate clubs.
- That KFF officials withdraw all court cases relating to football. Acting KFF Chairman Mohammed Hatimy and suspended Alfred Sambu had to make a committment to withdraw all pending court cases.
- That KFF call a National Congress to confirm the agreements with regards to number of premier league teams, ratifying the suspension of Alfred Sambu and other fine details according to FIFA stipulations.
What about the media? Are they to blame?
In all honesty, Kenya Football is in a real mess. The KFF is inefficient, corrupt and lethargic; the government is insensitive, inconsiderate and interferes with football resulting in unsolicited and unwanted outcomes; and the fans don't show up for games. Could things get any worse? Yes. There's a fourth player in the let's-ruin-our-football game. What about the Fourth Estate?
In a perfect world, the media would actively participate in the resurrection of our soccer. They would bring back the passion for local football by highlighting the good aspects of our game all the time (or even at least as much as they highlight the foreign football leagues). They would make any football loving Kenyan want to go and watch local matches just by talking about our football in a positive way. They would cover every match, publish pictures, show us short clips of matches on TV, and generally make us feel envious at how much fun it was watching a certain game live. AND albeit the local premier league is dead, there's still good football out there – the ongoing Super 8 Soccer tournament being one of them – so the excuse that local football doesn't warrant the media's attention is just hogwash.
But this is not a perfect world. In actual fact, our media pays little or no attention to our local game. That's why a leading daily newspaper can publish plainly wrong facts and not even offer a simple apology. This week, the Nation had the audacity to claim that the Super 8 Soccer tournament was in the quarter final stage – clearly not true!. The fact that that story was published clearly shows that no research went into the story and the editor didn't even bother to check the facts. Scandalous! If that was not bad enough, I have seen with my own two eyes journalists (names withheld) asleep or busy with their newspapers, books and whatnot at a soccer game that they are supposedly being paid to cover. The straw that breaks the camel's back, however, is the shocking fact that journalists take bribes to take sides in the local football chaos. I blame the media for everything wrong with our football.
I believe that blogs like this one are also part of the media and so in blaming the media I blame myself also. We can do so much more to build our football!
Super 8 Fixtures
Today
Dagoreti – Nduararua Grounds
Waithaka Babes Vs K-Rep Bank
Kakamega Youth Vs City Landers
Embakasi – Dandora Stadium
Dandora Maono Fc Vs Dandora Adjentos
Dandora All Stars Vs Umoja Renegades
Lang'ata – Woodley Stadium
Ligi Ndogo FC Vs Kibera Zulu
Al Swafaa Vs Undugu Youth
Kamukunji –
Shauri Moyo FC Vs Uprising
Country Bus Vs
Tomorrow
Starehe – Huruma Grounds
Huruma Youth Vs Huruma Cranes
Makadara – Hamza Grounds
Buru Buru
Buru
Kasarani – Baba Dogo Grounds
CDC Korogocho Vs Kariobangi Sharks
Lucky Summer Vs Githurai United
Rysa Vs ACK Kabete
Brook United Vs Wysa
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