Nairobi City Stars CEO Patrick Korir has thanked retiring midfielder Anthony Kimani for his service to the club and wished him well in the next phase of his life.On Sunday, the veteran midfielder brought an end to an illustrious football career that has lasted for 17 years. Six of those years were spent with Simba in Nairobi; in total, he played for the Kawangware-based club in 284 matches.##NAJAVA_MECA_7342447##On Sunday, before the game against Gor Mahia, Kimani was sent off in a special way by his employer. He was handed a signed shirt with his number of appearances for the club inscribed at the back, a rare occasion in Kenyan football.Korir, who re-signed the player for Simba Wa Nairobi in 2019, was full of praise for his departing captain in an interview with the club media. He lauded him for playing a part in the team’s bounce back to the top tier in 2020.”We thank Muki for bringing maturity and adding his vast experience to the City Stars setup since the year 2019 and for guiding the team back to the Kenyan Premier League after five seasons in the cold. He was a dedicated servant, and we wish him the very best in his future endeavors,” he stated.He further lauded the player for stepping forward and announcing that he was retiring, as in the past, players have secretly bowed out of the game.”More than often, we never know when a Kenyan player retires. Muki did the most honorable thing by stepping forward to say goodbye to what has been part of him for more than a decade and a half. It was the most honorable thing to do, and I wish more retiring players could take his cue,” he added.Happy retirement Anthony “Mukki” Kimani#FootballKE will miss you.Legend of the game.All the best. pic.twitter.com/G7aRLtEIYV— GOAT (@TemperCR7) June 26, 2023 On his part, the player said he was happy to retire as he believes the current crop of players will take the team forward.”We may have struggled in the just-ended season due to a transition plan, but a new set of lads who came in have shown that they have what it takes to make the club rise once again. The future of the club is in their good hands, and it gives me peace and a good reason to call it a day from the pitch as I look to serve the game in a different capacity.”.The player is reportedly set to venture into coaching.Ochieng confident of staying up despite Vihiga Bullet’s Relegation
