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| 2013 KPL Under 19 Champions Western Stima |
If Thika superhighway, that leads to this KPL under 19 tournament final is clogged with traffic, it probably Nairobians going about their business, least bothered.
Contrast this come sunday with the sea of red and green heading out for the 'mashemeji' derby gyrating and dancing to the African orchestra of isikuti, tingiti and vuvuzela; you get a sense of the place of youth football in Kenya.
The sizable crowd would probably be an upgrade--a handful-- if either of the youth teams that face off in Kenya's biggest day on the football calendar on Sunday-- AFC Leopards 'ingwe' or Gor Mahia 'Kogalo' -- had made it to the final.
But it is two corporate sponsored sides that fight it out for the 300,000 prize money: Tusker sponsored by the Diageo majority owned East African Breweries Limited and Western Stima bank rolled by the Nairobi Securities Exchange listed Kenya Power and Lighting Company.
As is the trend with the senior league, the crowd pullers are the mismanagement bedeviled community sides. Ingwe at least made it to the semis losing out to Tusker. A feat if the happenings at the unveiling of the DSTV/GOTV sponsored tournament are acknowledged.
As is everything, the youth are the roots that yeild the fruits. KPL and DSTV did their part in watering the roots by harnessing collections from DSTV Top 8 tournament to finance the KPL under 19 tournament. Not enough by the organizers own admissions, but nonetheless a noble take more so in light of the troubles of Europe's NextGen Series.
On the other side of the scale, the clubs were left exposed. With no functional football academies, it is widely reported that the scramble was on to sign talent on loan from for the pitiful spattering of football academies that dot the city.
Even Western Stima who lead the final with a goal at the break, field a side largely drawn from Kenyan secondary school powerhouse Kakamega High school team The Green Commandos. Six players we are informed. Yes, it is currently the school holidays in Kenya but what about the preceding weeks at tournament kick off when school was in session?
What consideration for the future of these young lads. Is it a simple "Go play a tournament. Hope you get signed by a Kenya Premier League side on a pitiful contract"---- Keep in mind that the majority of these players are in their final years of O level study with months to national examinations of great bearing on their futures-- If there is a contract, who advised the young lads? Who guided them through the complicated contract process? If any are below the legal age, were their guardians involved?----
What a skewed trade off! What choices to bestow on these young shoulders. What a gamble on our Nations future!
This begs questions on football structures in Kenya. What exactly is the arrangement between the school and KPLC? What of the players welfare? Therein lies a whiff of child labor dare we say.
More questions. Consider this: Come the final, and the trend repeats itself as senior coaches on the touchlines puppeteer the junior coaches.
Now, that is damn worrying! Elementary youth football development places an absolute on the qualifications and pedigree of professionals who handle such precocious talent.
We can't picture an Arsene Wenger, Pep or Jurgen Klopp shouting out instructions at a youth tournament. Spectator? Yes. Back room consultations between the coaches of the two set ups? Yes. Puppeteer-ing? NO!
Suck it up you might say. TIA you might add. Justify your banter by throwing about known names in world football like Victor Wanyama of Celtic, his elder brother UEFA Champions league winner Macdonald Mariga and Dennis 'the menace' Oliech.
Forgetting the sound family support that makes Mariga and Wanyama the success they are. Contrast that with the bountiful talent not fully exploited in Oliech's case, troubles that could be traced here.
It is our prayer that the talent of Western Stima's Laban Gambaleko on display here gets to shine in such cathedrals such as Old Trafford and Santiago Bernabeu.
That the likes of Micheal Olunga, Charles Adika, Kevin Okoth, Vitalis Okumu and Micheal Abor do not seep into the cracks into football abyss.
Granted, the world of football is filled with heart wrenching tales of shattered dreams and destroyed lives. We just need not to fodder it. We shouldn't parry it on through acts of commission or omission.
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To the KPL fraternity, time for a full time Under 19 league? Maybe a PPP model involving the Ministries of Edcation, Ministry of Sports and companies who have already shown a hand in youth sports like Brookside Milk and Airtel would do the trick
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To the KPL fraternity, time for a full time Under 19 league? Maybe a PPP model involving the Ministries of Edcation, Ministry of Sports and companies who have already shown a hand in youth sports like Brookside Milk and Airtel would do the trick
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To Kenyan universities, the cue has been set by the likes of Kenyatta University and Nairobi University through offering sports scholarships.
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Western Stima run away with the under 19 KPL title thrashing Tusker 4-0. Laban Gabaleko our player of the tournament. At 6 '2 the strikers skill and technical acumen is on point. A goal and two assists in the final capping a fine performance. As expected, the lad is still raw on the edges but he packs a full one with all the right ingredients to make a lethal striker.
Goals
Laban Gabaleko (20)
Charles Adika (60)
Kevin Okoth (76)
Micheal Abor (79)
