Could 2020 spell the death of Kenyan football?

As we head into the New Year, Goal poses a serious question; will Kenyan football come back stronger in 2020? The festive season has meant a time to celebrate, but as we enter 2020, Kenyan football finds itself in dire straits, and concerns for the future cannot be ignored.

For the past four months or so, Kenyan football has been sinking to the point of oblivion. First, there was the exit of betting firm SportsPesa as the title sponsors for the Kenyan Premier League, which triggered the downward spiral we’re not experiencing in the local scene.

Already, Sony Sugar have been relegated from the top flight owing to financial troubles, while Chemelil Sugar could follow soon after skipping two matches.

Out of the 17 teams in the KPL, only Tusker, Bandari FC, Wazito FC, Ulinzi Stars. Western Stima and Kakamega Homeboyz are keeping their heads above water amidst the financial crisis.

AFC Leopards have already lost five key players, who opted to tender their notice, while at Gor Mahia, three players, led by skipper Kenneth Muguna and Joash Onyango, have also requested to leave.

On top of that, Ingwe coach Andre Casa Mbungo has also threatened to quit the Den in less than two weeks if he does not get his accrued salary paid in full. The Rwandan coach claims he is owed five months’ salary, the same as his foreign players at the club – Tresor Ndikumana and Vincent Habamahoro.

While all this is happening, no one from the big offices in the football circles is uttering a word, and it begs the question, will Kenyan football improve or it will sink further?

Gor Mahia CEO Omondi Aduda insists Kenyan football is currently in a very bad state and will need radical changes to be revived.

“Don’t expect any good news in the New Year, the condition will remain the same or might even get worse,”

Aduda told Goal.  – What Kenyans need to understand is that the sport is currently in ICU and we should stop lying to ourselves.

All is not well in Kenyan football, let’s call a spade a spade and state the things the way they are. Not only Gor Mahia or AFC Leopards are suffering, but the whole fraternity is suffering.

It is not easy for clubs, AND teams are suffering, look at Chemelil Sugar, a good team from the past seasons but now conceding six goals and above anytime they are playing. is that the Chemelil we used to know?

“I don’t think so, we should stop lying to ourselves and state the issues the way they are.” (…)

Source: goal.com

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