OPINION: Matano is wrong, should not castigate other coaches as failures

By Kenn Okaka

Tusker FC head coach Robert Matano is all wrong in terming other Kenyan football tacticians as failures and must be reminded that it is unprofessional, uncouth and he absolutely have no  right to demean fellow coaches.

Matano criticised the Football Kenya Federation for what he said was “repeatedly appointing underperforming coaches” to lead the Harambee Stars. He wondered how FKF appointed coaches who he thinks are not fit for the job, however he forgets that he is also a coach and he was not seen fit for the appointment.

Matano lambasted Football Kenya Federation saying that the federation has constantly appointed underachieving tacticians for the national team.

He singled out a number of tacticians, past and present, who he claimed have not achieved any meaningful results in their coaching careers.

Taking a swipe at Harambee stars coach Engin Firat, Kariobangi Sharks tactician William Muluya and Star’s assistant coach Ken Odhiambo, Matano shamefully called them ‘absolute failures who have nothing to show’.

This outburst is unprofessional and all wrong for Matano, who is a senior coach who should encourage rather than looking down upon fellow coaches.

By Matano calling other coaches failures, he should be reminded that he is also a coach in the Kenyan Premier League and castigating other coaches is wrong particularly when he too has been on the receiving  end with allegations on his ways of coaching which were rumored to be sinister

 and he rightfully got the support and image protection from fellow coaches and the Federation.

By Matano suggesting that stars coach Firat is not competent is an action of shooting himself on the foot, going by the credentials of Firat compared to Matano. Having handled the national team in the past, it is all evident that Firat surpasses Matano on all fronts.

From his tactics in training to his interpersonal relationships with his players, Firat dwarfs Matano. Similarly, Matano cannot compare himself with Muluya and Odhiambo who are young coaches that have embrace new tactics in the field as well as advanced in terms of training.

It is currently an accepted fact that Kariobangi Sharks are currently playing the best football in the FKF Premier League while Matano himself is in charge of Tusker FC, also playing in the same league. 

As a respected coach, Matano could in the future get the opportunity to coach the national team and for his success, he will  need the support of other coaches in the local league, the question begs, how will he expect to be supported when he is all over demeaning his colleagues in the profession?

Matano should be reminded that different coaches have different approaches in  their work. Some are good at nurturing and developing new talent while others have dived into advancing technology. Muluya and Odhiambo are well known to have a passion for working with young talent and helping them develop into accomplished players to the highest levels locally and internationally, so what sort of coach is Matano? Can the same qualities be attributed to him and if he was the one on the receiving end, how would he take the negative sentiments from a fellow coach?

It is all  there for all to judge who is actually a failure going by the years that Matano has been a coach compared to the years that Firat, Odhiambo and Muluya have been in the trade but  taking others down is an injection of negative energy that would not be any important to the growth of the game.

Kenn Okaka is the Communication Head at Football Kenya Federation