The 2008 league champions Mathare United have resorted to sieving for the best players from areas perceived as their ‘zones’ in a bid to patch up a team for the new season.Mathare partly halted their operations in April due to lack of a stable source of income after failing to net a shirt sponsor. The move saw the players who were attached to the club by then move out in search for greener pastures.The club dished three walkovers and would as a result be relegated by the FKF Transition Committee whose mandate expired last week.##NAJAVA_MECA_6736826##It still remains to be seen whether the decision taken by the government-installed committee to kick Mathare and Vihiga Bullets out of the top flight on the basis of finishing in the red zone will stand the legal test given that the body lacked the powers to relegate or promote teams.However, the club’s Chief Executive Officer Jecton Obure was among the club honchos invited for the caucus meeting held on Monday sending a strong indication that the club is gearing up for a life in the top flight. Bullets also had a representative in the meeting.Obure revealed that the management was using its strong network in the slums to scout promising players and rope them into the team once they secure a sponsor. The CEOs consented for the 2022-2023 season to start next month.The illegal trading, renaming and relocation of football clubs in Kenya“As a club we are still much alive and will participate in the new season. We have gone back to our roots as the team we have in mind will be largely constituted by players from our zones as it used to be in the past. We have coaches in the ground who have been scouting for us and I believe given the talent we have therein, we will have a good team. We will put the players together as soon as we get a new sponsor,” he said.Obure disclosed that negotiations with unnamed potential sponsors were ongoing and expressed optimism in sealing a deal in the coming weeks.
