NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 18 – Former Harambee Stars tacticians Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee and Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno are strongly against a FIFA ban for Kenya that might result from the appointment of the caretaker committee formed by Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Culture and Arts Amina Mohamed to run football affairs.
Premier League coach Zico is saddened that Kenyans are being too casual about the possible FIFA ban.
“This situation needs a lot of wise thought like how Solomon solved the case of the two men and the baby in the bible. People who are celebrating or welcoming the FIFA ban are not directly involved in football. Look at coaches, referees, players-none of them is for the ban,” Zico said.
Mulee agrees that Kenya has a lot to lose if the stalemate continues and he called on the government, Football Kenya Federation and FIFA to come to a common agreement because they need each other.
Mulee expressed his displeasure in the members of the caretaker committee saying some of them don’t have any football background.
“I am perturbed because when government interferes a ban is what follows and the truth it is while football has many stakeholders it is the players that will suffer the most. No player will be able to leave the country and those who are abroad won’t be able to move clubs,” Ghost said.
Zico says the list is bigger than players
“Coaches and referees will suffer a lot. Kenyan referees have the quality to officiate international matches, they will be locked out, coaches like myself cannot work outside the country. We have coaches in class, they will have to stop.”
Ghost says the ban will ruin Kenya’s international commitments.
“Gor Mahia and Tusker are waiting to play international matches next week. The Harambee Starlets are about to qualify for the African Women’s Cup of Nations. We will lose of all these opportunities.”
The composition of the caretaker committee appointed by the CS is also a big worry for Mulee.
“Football has been disrespected, some of the people in the caretaker committee don’t have a clue about football; and football is a profession. I have never seen a doctors’ problem being solved by a carpenter.”
The Aaron Ringera led caretaker Committee appointed by the CS includes former Rugby administrators Mwangi Muthee and Richard Omwela, former FKF vice president Titus Kasuve among others.
“Do they understand FIFA, the intricacies of Kenyan football? Can they run a league? Ghost wondered.
