•The industrious midfielder sent a passionate plea to local match officials, reiterating the need to make impartial calls in the cutthroat top-flight competition.
•Kahata reckons that Tanzanian football standards surpass Kenya by far.
Image: FILE
Celebrated Kenyan football gem, Francis Kahata, says he still has his sight firmly trained on plying trade abroad despite having returned to feature in the Kenyan top tier.
Kahata opened up about his future ambitions during an exclusive interview on Wednesday moments before he changed into his training gear for an afternoon practice.
It is exactly two months since the lethal playmaker made a grand return to the Kenyan Premier League after penning a year-long deal with debutants Kenya Police on January 28.
“I'm definitely still open to playing football abroad. Joining Kenya Police this season doesn't mean I intend to retire from football soon. That may be a general perception out there, which is quite misleading,” Kahata said.
Kahata has tipped the law enforcers to shake off their torrid start to the season and battle tooth and nail in their remaining fixtures for a top-five finish.
“We still stand a perfect opportunity to finish in the top five given the depth and quality in the squad,” Kahata said.
“We have a blend of youth and experience and although we started on a low note, I believe we can brush that aside and perform well in our remaining fixtures,” Kahata said.
The industrious midfielder sent a passionate plea to local match officials, reiterating the need to make impartial calls in the cutthroat top-flight competition.
“I think it's unfair for referees to discourage players through substandard officiating after all the effort that goes into preparation,” Kahata said. Kahata reckons that Tanzanian football standards surpass Kenya by far.
“You just can't compare the two countries in terms of football. Tanzania is way too far ahead of Kenya.
“We could be having more talented players in the country but some factors merely serve to hold us back.
“If you've been following East African football keenly, you may have noticed that our fans are not as enthusiastic as Tanzanians who attend matches in large numbers.
“They also enjoy better support from corporate organizations in the country who pump a lot of funds into the teams' kitty,” Kahata said.
Kahata linked up with the law enforcers after a four-month stint with the Ethiopian premiership side, Sidama Coffee SC.
His acquisition highlighted the star-studded list of players Police brought to their fold including Duke Abuya, Clifton Miheso, Musa Mohamed, Duncan Otieno, David Ambulu, Eric Juma, Job Ochieng, and Geoffrey Shiveka.
Kahata rose into stardom in 2015 when he made a giant leap from Thika United to Gor Mahia.
He powered K'Ogalo to three league titles and capped off his glittering career with a splendid goal that helped K'Ogalo see off South African side SuperSport United on their way to the group stage of the Caf Confederation Cup in 2018.
Other than Gor Mahia, 'Kachi' has turned out for Tanzanian giants Simba, Sidama, and Albanian side KF Tirana in the Superliga.