What went wrong for Mathare United, one of Kenya’s iconic clubs, in the just ended Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL) 2022-23 season?That is the question still bothering many after the Slum Boys were relegated for the first time in their 25 years of top flight football, and after flirting with the chop a couple of times in the past.Finishing second from last, the 2008 champions only managed eight wins, two draws and a whopping 24 loses in 34 matches. Vihiga Bullets FC, who finished rock bottom, with 28 loses, three wins and equal number of losses, performed worse.”It hit us hard. It came as a shocker,” said the club’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jecton Obure. Tracing where the proverbial rain started beating them, in an interview with Mozzart Sport, Obure said that several factors conspired against the club.Lack of proper preseason, late start to the campaign owing to court battles, COVID-19 pandemic and match-fixing are some of the issues he raised. Yet, above all, Obure believes that lack of finances was their greatest achilles heel. “We wrote to over 40 companies seeking partnerships, but nothing materialized,” he said. SPORTS KENYA: Kenya will be ready for AFCON 2027The situation meant Mathare United, once a hub of top talents in the country, could not only keep, but also attract good players.”If you look at the past five or so years, only betting firms have come forth to sponsor football in this country. Companies like Safaricom would rather run their own tournaments than directly support football,” Obure lamented, while calling for a shift in how football is managed in the country. “The negative attitude towards football amongst corporate entities is still a challenge, in their eyes, the game is synonymous with mismanagement and they don’t want to be a part of it however much we try to convince them that things have changed.”Obure wants the government to offer tax relief to corporates who sponsor sports, that way more would come forth to be part of the sports ecosystem. ##NAJAVA_MECA_7354589##Concentration of teams in Nairobi, where more than half of the FKFPL clubs are based, is also a matter Obure took issue with. “We have 47 counties, and it would have been better if they could adopt some of these teams. When teams travel you can be sure they’ll get support, but unfortunately most teams are in Nairobi, as stakeholders, we need to confront some of these realities.”The bitter pill that is playing in the National Super League (NSL) next season, nonetheless, must be swallowed, however painful and plans are already a foot to see that Mathare United emerge from the trenches as soon as next season. “Even if it means going back to our roots and getting players who have the passion for Mathare United, we will do it,” Obure said. He’s banking on friends and well wishers of the club, who came forth towards the end of the season, to continue supporting them even in the NSL.”If it’s hard to get sponsorship in the FKFPL, you can imagine how harder it can be to secure one while in the NSL, but we’re not giving up. Those who supported us this season have pledged to stick with us until we emerge stronger.”
