THIKA UNITED MISS OUT BIG AT KPL ANNUAL FOOTBALLER OF THE YEARS AWARDS GALA

By Reporter

The glamorous FOYA awards were held at the Exclusive Panari Sky centre on the evening of 9th December 2009. The whole of the progressive football fraternity came out well-decked out; the ladies looked ravishing in evening gowns while the gentlemen were dashing in shiny designer suits and ties. Food and drink flowed. This truly is what Kenyan Football was supposed to be like always.

Even members of the diminutive 4th Estate were present, having put aside their notepads to grace the occasion. The Guest of honor was the Sports Secretary Prof. Wilson Langat accompanied by Senior Sports Officer Sarah Idieva. Present was Supersport Head of Africa Gary Rathbone and Head of Guinness – Angelique.

Thika United finished the season in 3rd place with 51 points behind 2nd placed immediate former Champions Mathare United at 53 points and league debutants and newly crowned Champions Sofapaka at 59 points.

On the way to a podium finish, Thika won 13 matches, drew 12 and lost 5. Thika received 35 yellow cards and 2 red cards the whole season, with one of the toughest yellow and red card rules anywhere in the World i.e. 3 consecutive yellows or 1 red card has a player suspended for 2 matches, any subsequent 3 yellows or 2nd red card will have the player suspended for 3 matches. Any other 3 yellows or 1 red card has the player suspended indefinitely.

At some point in the season, several of the 3 consecutive yellow cards converged on 4 of the key starting players namely Russell Kibet, Kepha Aswani, Dennis Odhiambo and Crispin Olando. This however allowed the coach to test Joseph Kuria in the midfield and Job in the defense. Red cards to George Maina at right back and David Okello in Goal seriously tested the young Thika side.

Thika finished the season with Haji Mwachoki on 9 goals and Kepha Aswani on 6. In total, Thika had a goal tally of 31.

As has become the norm, Thika produced some of the most dazzling young players in the league. The likes of Micheal Bodo, Ali Kenga, Francis Chege, Muema Riziki playing alongside soccer school graduates Micheal Luvutsi, Haji Mwachoki and Barack Odhiambo.

Thika United got 3 nominations in all categories namely David Okello – Goalkeeper of the Year, Chrispin Olando -Midfielder of the year, Abdullah Juma –Coach of the Year.

In the end, Thika United got nothing from the podium finish. Wading through the sympathetic handshakes, understanding nods and pats on the back, it was difficult not to feel a sad sense of loss for the coach and his players.

For instance, in the fairplay category, clubs chosen are those with the least Yellow and Red Cards. However, it was baffling how the individual fairplay player was decided. Thika United left full back Vincent Nyaberi Mogaka played all 90 minutes of all 30 matches in the season without a single yellow card! 2700 minutes or 45 hours of play in the 2nd meanest defence in the league (Thika conceded 19 goals behind Sher Karuturi who conceded 17 goals). What else would you call such a player except a fairplay player? Who allowed the selectors to re-invent the rules?

In the Goalkeepers category, David Okello has been the only consistent call-up to the National team all season. He was part of the defence that conceded 2nd after Noah Ayuko of Sher KARUTURI. Yet he got not even a 3rd place.

In the coaches category, the most glaring miscarriage of mandate happened. First, the local coaches were allowed to choose who among themselves would be coach of the year. It only happens in Kenya and the excuses for this are weak and unacceptable.

The no. 1 position went to the coach of the winning team Sofapaka, while the no. 2 position went to the coach of the 2nd placed team. Now 3rd position the issue became very dicey and this is where all logic disappears. The position went to the coach of team no. 5 Gor MAHIA. You will remember that this particular coach was in charge of the team for less than 10 matches having taken over from James Sianga.

The question remains, why did the coaches skip coaches of teams that finished no.3 and no. 4?

Why was coach of Tusker which ended on 4th position skipped considering that he mustered his team after a near fatal fire incident in Nakumatt almost took his life, but snuffed out the life of his CEO at Tusker? Despite this trauma, he was on the bench for all 30 matches in the season.

Thika United coach was consistent all season keeping top 5 placing, attended all matches being on the technical bench but most importantly was courageous enough to field former school boys in the most competitive league in Africa. Most other coaches went for age and experience while others opted to hire foreign gun-slingers. Thika played a youthful side and still finished at third position.

Thika United coach also nurtured the player who took 3 awards Peter Opiyo from Gor Mahia. It has been alluded to from some quarters that Thika United intentionally refused to field Opiyo thus wasted him for a season or two. This is not only illogical but pure fallacy, why would a team bench their best player for a full season yet they want to win? How come even after the player had been given on loan for a season, the club still managed a podium finish?

Finally, of the new players category Thika United is the only team with a youth system to talk of, there is a school fees programme for gifted players and a chance to join the professional ranks. One of the best young players is now playing pro at Amatuks (Pretoria University). Dennis Odhiambo a true Kenyan revelation. How come none of the young players won an accolade despite call-ups to the National u-17, U-19 and U-20 teams last year as well as impressive shows in the league?

Awards have a dual role, like a knife they cut forward as well as backwards. They can encourage by rewarding deserving players and coaches while conversely are capable of crippling by ignoring deserving players and coaches. The feeling in Thika United is that there was a deliberate attempt to cripple the players, technical bench and management. It was a stab in the back to the whole team by those involved in the selection.

Sadly, half the coaches in the Premier league are enquiring into coaching the team, while the other half is chasing the players to join their current teams. Yet despite all this they still have no wherewithal to acknowledge the work done, dedication, time, effort, money and sponsorship.

The awards were decided by people who have never gone out to seek sponsorship thus do not know the pain of getting a sponsor, the difficulty of keeping one happy and the honest expectation from that sponsor to get something back for his commitment in terms of time and money.

This arrogance has to end, or it will catch up us all.