There is a possibility of national U15 girls’ team head coach Jackline Juma becoming the first female coach, in recent memory, to handle a Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL) team in the new season.This follows the strong interest FC Talanta have retained in Juma’s services heading into the new season set to kick off on August 24.Impeccable sources at Talanta indicate that Juma is in a pole position to lead the club as negotiations between the two parties are at an advanced stage.##NAJAVA_MECA_8256654##A good number of top-flight clubs have had to make changes to their technical benches to conform to the new licensing requirements.Among the boxes clubs will have to tick right before the start of the campaign is having a head coach who holds the CAF A license or an equivalent.Juma and Harambee Starlets tactician Beldine Odemba are the country’s sole female coaches with the prestigious badge.Full list of 49 Kenyan coaches with CAF A license revealedAccording to the federation, there are 49 CAF A coaches trained by the body in the country.Odemba, who doubles up as the Kenya Police Bullets head coach, is not new to the FKFPL, having served as a team manager at Mathare United partly in the 2022–2023 season.Talanta have been without a substantive head coach since March, when the management suspended Kenneth Kenyatta over a series of unwanted results.He was never to come back as his assistant, Jackson Gatheru, oversaw the remainder of the season.FC Talanta suspend coach Ken KenyattaKenyatta has since joined Kakamega Homeboyz, replacing Patrick Odhiambo, who ditched the club for KCB.Talanta, who gained promotion to the top tier in 2021, were to open the season with a clash against defending champions Gor Mahia in two weeks, but the contest was postponed owing to K’Ogalo’s involvement in international matches.Gor will take on South Sudanese giants El Merreikh Bentiu in the preliminary round of the CAF Champions League. The first leg is scheduled for Friday next week, with the return leg slated for August 25.
