Kenya Football .:. Story - Can Kenyan Clubs Succeed Like Spanish Clubs?

Can Kenyan Clubs Succeed Like Spanish Clubs? - kenyafootball.com image

By Mathew Oduor

AFC Leopards have one thing in common, they despise each other and are main arch rivals and do not see eye to eye. Whenever they are scheduled to meet, it is all war from the second it is predicted of their encounter and its hatred spread among the loyal fans. This was and still is one of the Classic games of East African football.

La Liga arch main rivals Real Madrid CF and F.C. Barcelona are also the sme as Gor and AFC, but on a very different platter. One thing all this four clubs have is that they are all community based clubs and that they have unique histories in the game.

Examples are; Gor is the most successful club in East and Central Africa with a cabinet having the CAF Cup Winners' Cup. And in the KPL, they lead in terms of silverware bagging 13 league titles and 9 federation cups among others. AFC is the Kenyan Barca on the other hand. They also work hard to please and suit people bagging 9 league titles and 5 federation cups among others.

Shifting to La Liga, Real is the most successful club in the History of UEFA. It has history that even Man United may be will never have, from being Galacticos to currently the richest club in the world. Real Madrid Club de Futball has 9 UEFA Champions League titles, 2 UEFA cups, 17 Copa Del a Ray and a record 30 La Liga titles. Barca has 18 La Liga titles, 17 Copa Del a ray and 2 UEFA Champions league also a small history on their part.

But the question is; what is the difference between Kenya's Clubs and Spanish clubs? It is that the Spanish ones' have mobilsed themselves and have made themselves where they are by involving all members of the community. They dream of something, think of an Idea and accomplish them.

Gor and AFC do not do that, they'd rather just play ball but have no future. All that time has gone and Gor together with AFC do not have their own home ground neither even a franchise agreement. While Real has Santiago Bernabeu and Barca have Noun Camp. On top of that, they have franchise agreement with top class companies and sports wear and have training and health facilities catering for both club and the community. This puts Gor and AFC in limbo.

All these clubs have one thing in common as I mentioned earlier, they are all community clubs. The Spanish giants offer the community more than what we see on TVs while Kenyan clubs still struggle. What do Spanish clubs do best that Kenyan clubs don’t do or can't do?

My guess is that their organization and structures is real. That is why they have broke the records in transfer signing, got great players with quality and talent from all over the world.

The KPL has six community clubs while La Liga apart from Villareal C.F., the rest are community based clubs. Will Kenyan clubs ever be like Spanish clubs?

I think the answer really lies among them. May be with time, will see.