In recent seasons, a disturbing trend has emerged in Kenyan football, with players auctioning club properties to cover unpaid wages and other payables following contract breaches.Gor Mahia and Sofapaka are among the most recent clubs affected by these forced sales.Beyond these drastic measures, key stakeholders (players) in Kenyan football have also been winning substantial court cases, with significant financial awards granted in their favor.##NAJAVA_MECA_8290609##Clubs that fail to honor their agreements with players have found themselves in hot water with the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), which has imposed heavy fines and even denied licenses to offending teams.In light of the growing number of these cases, Kenya Footballers Welfare Association (KEFWA) President James Situma has called on clubs to foster better working relationships with their players and staff.He believes many disputes could be avoided if teams and players reached mutual agreements before situations deteriorate.”The issue of teams failing to honor contracts is a significant problem in Kenya. Players are here to play, and clubs have a duty to uphold their end of the contracts,” Situma said.”Teams should build strong relationships with their players. They need to understand when a player is happy or when they might want to leave. Currently, that connection is missing.”CAFWCLQ: Police Bullets a win away from maiden CAF Champions League berth after beating Simba QueensWhile Situma did not explicitly state his stance on players selling club properties to settle their dues, he emphasized the need for clubs to improve their management practices.He encouraged teams to embrace technological advancements and market themselves effectively to attract sponsors, which would help stabilize their operations.”Clubs need to market themselves to find partners who can help run the team smoothly. You can’t run a club on a zero budget. They need to do more to attract sponsors,” he advised.”We must work harder to give our league visibility. This will create opportunities for players and attract talent from other countries. As it stands, it’s tough, but if all stakeholders work together, we can restore the league to its rightful place.”Lessons learned from opening weekend of FKF Premier LeagueReflecting on his experience during the SuperSport era, when the Kenyan league attracted quality foreign players, Situma also spoke about the current crop of foreign imports.”I can’t say we should or shouldn’t have foreign players in the league. Let them come, but clubs must ensure they can meet their contractual obligations to avoid issues with FIFA,” he noted.”Each team should decide who they want to bring on board,” Situma concluded in an interview with Mozzart Sport.
