•Whereas Migori placed third on the NSL log, Wazito narrowly survived relegation after concluding the season third from the bottom in the top-tier competition.
•It will not be the first time Shabana will be flexing their muscles with the big boys on the top-flight stage.
Image: ANGWENYI GICHANA
Kisii-based Shabana FC and Murang’a Seal have both secured direct tickets to the topflight stage after cracking the top two positions in the National Super League.
Next week, Migori Youth have a good chance of joining them on the big stage if they dislodge Wazito in the promotion and relation playoffs.
Whereas Migori placed third on the NSL log, Wazito narrowly survived relegation after concluding the season third from the bottom in the top-tier competition.
The rule stipulates that the team that finishes 16th in the 18-team KPL standings gets to battle it out with the third-best NSL team to decide who joins the topflight stage. It will not be the first time Shabana will be flexing their muscles with the big boys on the top-flight stage.
The club is the brainchild of Kisii-based businessman Dogo Khan, who conceptualised its establishment in 1980. They secured their maiden top-flight promotion in 2014 after clinching the FKF Division One Zone B football title.
As thousands of their fans thronged the streets of Kisii to welcome the club back to the big stage, Shabana FC head coach Sammy Okoth praised the 12th player who roared them on and led them to success.
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“We are returning to the KPL after such a long time and it would be unfair not to mention our ardent fans who cheered us throughout the season,” Okoth said. “The NSL title and the accompanying promotion was the least we could give our fans for their relentless loyalty,” Okoth said.
Okoth has, however, warned his charges about the intense competition they should expect next season. “It’s good to celebrate our victory but the job has just begun,” he said.
Okoth said there is a need for the country to start supporting community clubs to keep them afloat especially when they are experiencing economic doldrums. “The club has gone through a string of heart-wrenching episodes for the last 17 years and the return to KPL is a big relief to the community,” he said.
“The big question now is how to ensure we get enough money to sustain our operations in topflight football. We must find innovative ways of attracting more fans into our stadia as a way of generating more income from gate collections.
“The team needs urgent financial support and it would be beneficial if the county government chipped in with that kind of support,” Okoth said.
Okoth further called on the establishment of comprehensive youth development structures in Kisii to maintain a constant supply of quality talent. “For a long time, schools from Kisii county produced big names in Kenyan football and it’s high time we thought of encouraging more principals to introduce the sport in their institutions.”
Okoth, who also turned out for Shabana in the ‘90s was a force to reckon with during his heydays.
Compared to Shabana’s narrative, Murang’a Seal’s script reads completely different. This is the first time they will be embracing top-flight football.
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Founded in 2011, the closest Seal came to securing a ticket to the KPL was during the preceding season when they squandered a glorious chance after crashing to Wazito on aggregate in the promotion and relegation playoffs.
With their promotion already in the basket after a successful season, Muranga Seal head coach Vincent Nyaberi reckons the club boasts sufficient depth to assert authority in their maiden Kenyan Premier League appearance next season.
In a warning shot, the gaffer said they have sharpened their claws well enough to prevail over any opposition posed on the top-flight stage.
“Nobody should expect us to be pushovers. We are not coming to donate points to other teams in the league. We are ready to make ourselves count,” Nyaberi said.
Nyaberi was, however, emphatic that their key objective will be to maintain a topflight status, warning his charges not to expect a walk in the park.
Image: ANGWENYI GICHANA
“I’m preparing them psychologically for the uphill task we expect ahead. I strongly believe they are ready to make their presence felt and prove that our promotion was not a mere fluke,” Nyaberi said.
“We have reached a unanimous decision as a team that we will have to fight tooth and nail and remain in the top league at the end of the upcoming season. We must do whatever it takes to avoid relegation,” Nyaberi said. Nyaberi admitted that it will be a challenge for them to keep afloat if they fail to unleash all their potent arsenals.
“There is an entirely different ball game in the Kenyan Premier League and as such we shall have to push our performance above and beyond if we intend to rise to the occasion,” Nyaberi said.
He, however, noted that his side is equal to the task since some of his players have played in the top-flight league before.
“We have some players who have experienced the cutthroat competition that comes with KPL matches and I believe they will be in a good position to offer the necessary guidance to their inexperienced teammates,” Nyaberi said.
“We have teams like Bidco United and Police which successfully managed to maintain their presence in the league after earning promotion and I believe we can learn a lot from them.”
The former Shabana FC player, however, warned his charges to expect an entirely different experience on the topflight stage, adding that the playing surfaces are ways apart.
“We shall have to get used to playing in a different environment where the quality of the pitch is comparatively better than what we are used to seeing in the NSL. “It’s obvious that FKF has set aside better pitches for the Kenyan Premier League matches compared to those used by teams in the NSL.”
In the wake of the rise of community clubs in the country, stakeholders have raised the red flag on their financial struggles.
Seasoned football administrator and FKF presidential hopeful Twaha Mbarak reckons little has been done to capitalise on the high level of interest shown in local football. Mbarak has proposed the creation of policies that can stimulate the growth of community clubs in the country.
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“There are still some community clubs wallowing in abject poverty. The fall of Mathare United attests to this. Unfortunately, we will not be having the Slum Boys in the KPL next season. This is partly due to their financial struggles,” Mbarak said.
He consequently suggests a viable remedy for the perennial headache that keeps hounding community clubs to their deathbeds.
“Counties must come up with creative ways to complement the national government’s Sports Fund while also encouraging more people to attend matches,” Mbarak said.
“Kenyan football has the potential to reach the same heights as athletics with the right assistance,” he added. Mbarak also called on the country to encourage more community clubs to emerge from the dust.
“The success of community clubs has injected some flavor into the sport. Match attendance recorded by both clubs speaks volumes about the huge interest they have generated across the nation,” Mbarak said.
“There is a very good reason why Shabana and Seal have kicked up a whirlwind in the local football arena. Their respective communities identify with them and are proud they have made it to the big stage.”
Both sides enjoy huge followings, considering the colossal crowds that attend their league matches.