Gor, Leopards must think beyond local glory

What you need to know:

  • Congratulations are in order for perennial arch-rivals Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards for winning the SportPesa Premier League and GOtv Shield titles, respectively, earning the rights to represent the country in Africa next season.
  • While Gor clinched the Premiership with four games to spare, Leopards were dominant in the Shield, hitting two past a bewildered Kariobangi Sharks in Friday’s final at Kasarani.
  • However, it’s one thing winning domestic competitions and quite a different proposition delivering on the continental stage.

Congratulations are in order for perennial arch-rivals Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards for winning the SportPesa Premier League and GOtv Shield titles, respectively, earning the rights to represent the country in Africa next season.

While Gor clinched the Premiership with four games to spare, Leopards were dominant in the Shield, hitting two past a bewildered Kariobangi Sharks in Friday’s final at Kasarani.

However, it’s one thing winning domestic competitions and quite a different proposition delivering on the continental stage.

Since Gor clinched the Africa Cup Winners Cup (now Caf Confederation Cup) in 1987, Kenyan clubs have flattered on the local scene only to deceive when it matters most in Africa.

It would appear that our clubs are pretty much satisfied with bagging domestic accolades and have no ambition on the continental front, if the recent results are anything to go by.

AFC Leopards players and officials celebrate lifting the GOtv Shield on October 20, 2017 at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

It cannot be gainsaid that club football forms the basis of the national team game, and only when our clubs start to perform will Harambee Stars grow some teeth.

That’s why it’s imperative that Football Kenya Federation (FKF) takes more interest in club football, rather than leave the clubs to their own devices.

After all, when clubs progress on the continental front, the federation also stands to benefit from the spill-overs.

For instance, should “K’Ogalo” go all the way and clinch the Champions League title, they will bag $2.5 million (about Sh250 million) with the federation receiving $125,000 (Sh12.5 million) from the purse, thanks to the huge sponsorship deal that the Confederation of African Football (Caf) struck with oil firm Total last year.

A runners’ up slot will earn Gor and FKF $1.2 million (Sh125 million) and $62,500 (Sh6.25 million) respectively, while a semi-final place comes with $800,000 (Sh80 million) and $40,000 (Sh4 million) for club and federation with the figure going down to $650,000 (Sh65 million) and $32,500 (Sh3.2 million) for a place in the quarters.

In the new prize money structure, teams finishing third and fourth in the group stage of the Champions League earn $550,000 (Sh5.5 million) with the federation banking $27,000 (Sh2.7 million). With such dividends, why wouldn’t the federation wish to see Kenyan clubs go all the way in Africa?

AFC Leopards players celebrate lifting the GOtv Shield on October 20, 2017 at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Sadly, our clubs never seem to look at the bigger picture and appear satisfied with local bragging rights rather than focusing on at least making the group stage of the Champions League, a feat no Kenyan club has achieved since the tournament earned its current status, having been previously known as the “Africa Club Champions Cup.”

Last year, when Gor made their last appearance in the Champions League, they were eliminated by minnows CNaPS of Madagascar in the preliminary round after losing 2-1 at Nyayo National Stadium in the first leg and 1-0 in the return match at the Stade Rabemanajara.

Will they do it differently this year? To succeed, they must shore up the player base and invest in technical and psychological preparations for the tournament with a view to breaking into the group stage.

This will mean more income and a platform to showcase players to a global television audience, and with scouts watching, the club could end up dictating big money moves at the end of next season.

Sadly, there is already talk of Gor’s big boys Jacques Tuyisenge and Godfrey Walusimbi eying big money moves down south as the club lacks the financial muscle to prevent a further exodus of reliable players like free-scoring Meddie Kagere.

These stars want to be in the top flight, and the only way to stem this annual tide is to muster all resources available to ensure the club is well prepared to make it to the group stage, post-haemorrhage.

While it would be difficult to stop the current crop from exiting, club chairman Ambrose Rachier must assemble the best technical brains available and immediately start building up a squad that will go through the preliminaries early next year, as this will be the club’s turning point on their way to financial stability.

Selling bread and lottery tickets will hardly catapult Gor to the levels of Egypt’s eight-time Africa champions Al Ahly, Zamalek, or five times winners TP Mazembe of DR Congo.

But making the group stage will not only shore up the club’s cash reserves, but also see more fans through the turnstiles and secure lucrative player deals that will actualize Rachier’s grand plans of putting up a club stadium, plans which will otherwise remain on the architect’s drawing board.

If the Champions League’s group stage cash doesn’t motivate the players enough, no matter how loud Jaro Soldier and his “Green Army” shout, nothing else will.