The need for sportsmen to invest in fallback plans cannot be underscored enough. The call, especially to local-based footballers to spare time and resources and invest in profit-making business or education continues to get louder given the lows Kenyan football has sunk to in recent years.A good number of players have embraced the idea of juggling playing football and venturing into studies or side hustles. To those who haven’t made up their minds yet, veteran Zoo FC forward Bernard Odhiambo has a word of advice to them.56’| Bernado heads in from Ondati’s volley…GoaalVihiga 1-2 Zoo#fcukzoo #magicalkericho #NSL #VIHZOO— Zoo FC (@zoofootballclub) March 27, 2022 Odhiambo who admits that it will take an extremely special offer to lure him out of his boyhood club owing to his other profession and businesses is better placed to offer his piece of mind to the undecided lot. Tusker, Sony Sugar, Western Stima, Ulinzi Stars and a host of other clubs have all unsuccessfully tried to acquire the forward who joined Zoo in 2005.If you make your way to Kipchimchim Boys Secondary School, Kericho you will realize the fruits of footballers investing in themselves as Odhiambo spends the better part of the weekdays at the institution teaching Mathematics and Chemistry.Odhiambo, a 2012 Bachelor of Education, Science with Information Technology graduate at Maseno University also owns a number of businesses in the town that keeps him going.89’| IN- Anami OUT- BernadoZoo 2-0 Migori#fcukzoo #NSL #ZOOMIG— Zoo FC (@zoofootballclub) February 16, 2022 The forward who is among the pioneers of the club counsel upcoming players to take education with the seriousness that it deserves rather than having all their eggs in the football basket.“If you have closer look at Kenyan football, very few who make it to the professional level or even fit in the so-called well-paying clubs in our league. We keep churning talents but unfortunately, not all who will turn professional or fit in the well-paying clubs. Where will the rest go? We do not have the structures that can shape our players for European football and this leaves us with the option of casting the net wider and make a living from different sources,” offered his advice.Odhiambo who was on target last weekend when Zoo beat Vihiga United 2-1 at the Mumias Sports said the integrity questions raised in Kenyan leagues will easily be answered if the players are financially independent.From child labour to football stardom – This is Moses Mudavadi’s story“It is easy for players to play and work at the same time. It’s time those who solely rely on the game for survival realized that the football career does not last forever and not all will transition into coaching. The issue of match-fixing will become a thing of the past if players earn enough from their sweat on the pitch and side hustles,” he noted.Odhiambo who is famously known as Nado in football circles in the meantime believes that Zoo will earn promotion to the top flight at the end of the season. Zoo were dropped early last year by FIFA for allegedly being involved in match-fixing. Despite facing the wrath of the axe, the club lost only four players: Tayo Odongo, Stanislas Akiya, Pascal Ogweno and Collins Neto.
