Immediate former Gor Mahia head coach Mark Harrison has expressed his utter delight at the chance of being offered the role of technical director at Emerging Stars Football Academy which is located in Lavington, Nairobi.A week ago, it was revealed that the Englishman, who was fired as K’Ogalo’s head coach on 29 January 2022, barely five months into his supposed two-year contract, was going to make his way back to the Kenyan football space, albeit in a different role, after being appointed to spearhead the football operations of the ambitious academy project.Former Gor Mahia coach Mark Harrison on the verge of landing new role in KenyaIn an exclusive interview with Mozzart Sport, the former player turned coach, who represented Nottingham Forest, Stoke City and Southampton during his playing days could not hold back his joy as he elucidated on the role he will be tasked with at the academy.“It is a different role but I think it is a good project. I will be there as the technical director of an academy that wants to take things to the next level. We are all about giving youngsters an opportunity to develop. Additionally, the aim is to try and get the players overseas,” the head coach offered.“My role will be to oversee the whole project. Obviously, I will be stepping in and out of coaching to help because we have different age levels and each of them have their own coaches. My role will be to coach the coaches, establish the playing philosophy and overseeing the project,” he said.Former Gor Mahia coach Mark Harrison is returning to Kenya to run a start-up soccer academy known as Emerging Stars, an initiative of Kenyan UK Pastor Boniface Mbugua with partnership by premiership side @SpursOfficial inching close. Adding to pool of talent for #WorldCup2026. pic.twitter.com/k5DNxyfvwB— Manoah Esipisu MBS (@MEsipisu) March 29, 2022 Interestingly, Harrison revealed that the academy will be entering into a partnership with English top-flight side Tottenham Hotspur who will be offering technical support to them and various exchange programs between both players and coaches.In the deal, the coach revealed that the developing players will have a chance of joining Tottenham Hotspur first hand should they impress the Premiership side.“We are going to partner with Tottenham and they will obviously want their model implemented. They will be helping us with technical support, training techniques and their coaches coming in to train our coaches. The club will also get a first call on the youngsters if any of them are good to attract Tottenham,” he said.In Emerging Stars we train our young players to become more adept in training like a professional player ✨#football #FutureStars pic.twitter.com/tCm7BlkgEo— Talanta Bora (@TalantaBora) February 8, 2022 Speaking on the project, the tactician lauded the role the academy will play in developing talent from an early age, something that has been evidently missing in the country’s development structures.“The academy is all about youngsters. I have worked across so many clubs that only talk about a good game but they have no vision. They only think about today and not tomorrow. The only way forward if you are a professional club is to have a fully-fledged academy and educate these players from an early age. Unfortunately, we do not have that. I do believe this is a fantastic opportunity for youngsters in the country,” he added.#NewProfilePicWe are a Kenyan football academy that natures young players physically ,spiritually and mentally in the game of soccer ❤️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/h4OvtuO03g— Talanta Bora (@TalantaBora) February 9, 2022 Currently, Emerging Stars Academy is home to 100 players (88 boys and 12 girls) with various age groups from under 7 all to the way to the under 18 category.
