By Reporter
Local football club managers in Kwale County have urged the county and national governments to invest in football infrastructure and facilities to boost grassroots and national sports growth.
The coaches decried that a lot of young talented people go to waste for lacking proper structure and facilities to nurture and exploit their talents.
Raswa Abdallah, coach of the Atletico Soccer Academy-Ukunda, said that the government must establish structured development pathways to maximize the potential of talented individuals.
“Talent exists in Kenya, but we need to put in place the appropriate structures and facilities to develop these talents,” he said.
Abdallah said grassroots soccer is not growing because much focus is on athletics.
He said the local teams lack support and eventually collapse because of poor management.
Abdallah said the teams are always in financial crisis and are short of training equipment which is crucial for talent development.
He said most grassroots football clubs are managed by jobless managers who are unable to keep up with the teams’ expenses.
Abdallah said the majority of the upcoming soccer clubs train with one ball and when it is ruined that’s the end of the training.
“If you are keen our teams have less than two balls and when taken for repair. It takes a while for training to resume,” he said.
Abdallah said the situation has forced talented players to move from one team to another only to face similar challenges.
He said the players lack morale and eventually quit football to join crime and drugs.
Abdallah said that those who continue to play football do it for fans and not as a profession like in other parts of the world.
He said the county should consider establishing a football academy where talent could be absorbed, nurtured, and invested.
The football coach said currently, teams and talents are many but of no use since there is no proper framework for talent scouting and nurturing.
Denyenye Combine FC Coach Faume Hassan acknowledged the limited exposure of talents.
He said the local teams do not progress further for lacking sponsorships.
Hassan said sponsors have little interest in sports and opt to support other things.
The coach said people forget that sports pay a lot if well supported through various initiatives.
“There are many people who can afford to sponsor local teams, but they are afraid of losing money because they believe sports are undervalued and have no future in Kenya,” he said.
Hassan said there is a need for the stakeholders to create a conducive environment for sports to thrive.
He said talented youth should be sponsored and assisted in realizing their dreams.
According to Hassan, sports have the potential to end insecurity and the drug menace because they promote a strong sense of discipline.
He said the media should also give more attention to grassroots sports to promote young talents.
Hassan said the focus is typically on major football leagues, leaving local teams with plenty of undiscovered talents.
A football player Salim Mohammed Mwabwagizo decried that young talents die because of injuries.
He said grassroots players cannot access better treatment for their injuries and once one gets a knee or any other fractures marks the end of their careers.
Mwabwagizo urged the county to support them and ensure that injured youth receive the appropriate treatment and that their talents are nurtured.
Health Chief Officer Athman Mwashando said the county has many plans in the pipeline to ensure youth are well-empowered in all fields.
He said the county is committed to supporting youth and ready to provide treatment for the injured footballers at no cost.
“If there is any injured youth through sports, kindly report it. We supported some before and we will continue to do so,” he said.
Waa/Ng’ombeni social worker Fatuma Hamisi said that the county is working to improve sports facilities for youth so that they can effectively expose and nurture their talents.
She said the county is improving football stadia across the region to the national standards.
Hamisi said the county provides football kits and other equipment as well as transport for the local teams.
“We normally provide sports equipment and transportation, but teams must submit a request in advance to our offices,” she said.
