Kenya Football .:. Story - My Views: Episode 6 With Sammy Sholei

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Let’s fete Musa Otieno here at home . . .

Musa Otieno is possibly the longest serving Harambee Stars Captain today.

With his serenity and discipline, Musa made it to the South African League Big time, leaving behind a Musa Otieno football Legacy start mark.

Chairman

In late may this year, Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairman Irvin Khoza feted Musa Otieno with a Chairman’s Award (a little Cheque of R100,000 (Approx Kshs. 0.85M) and a trophy to mark his golden final season in the South African football arena. The PSL award came just a week after he had been awarded a similar token by his club Santos by the clubs boss Goolam Allie.

Musa Otieno has since traveled to his new club; Cleveland City Stars in the United States USL 2 (third tier league) to dwindle down his long career.

The Club, Santos that he played for until he left for the US, recognized Musa for his contribution in nurturing the youthful within the team. Like their very own local players, Musa treated and encouraged young players at his club like a South African born, one among the many things that impressed his boss.

Musa has always been a darling of Kenya Football. His contribution to Kenyan Soccer through various clubs he played for in the local league (Bedjos FC, Inter-Continental FC, AFC Leopards and Kenya Breweries – now Tusker FC) and internationally until his retirement is not something that can be left to go without a celebration.

Musa, Kenyan Premier League player of the year in 1997, deserves a warm send off especially for his contribution to the Kenyan National team Harambee Stars.

Am sure someone somewhere would argue that we have had players retiring without recognition by football friends or even the Federation it self. Musa is different; he has done much for the society he grew in than any one of us – talk of Musa Otieno foundation in Jericho. That isolates Otieno from the rest of the locals; like my self or ‘ordinaries’ if you please. Like some of my friends love to ‘dub’ regular buddies.

Otieno during the 2004 Nations Cup
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Last game, send off

Musa, needs a serious send off; Kenya Football federation with their step sister KPL should organize a warm send off for Musa Otieno. Am sure they can afford one comfortably. Back benchers like us and friends of Musa will always come in and help make the function a success.

My views are Musa Otieno deserves at least a last 15 minutes for the National Team in one of the upcoming home matches where he can get an official ‘GOOD BYE’

He should be called up to skipper the National team then get substituted after about 15 minutes. After that, at the touch line a quick, ‘official’ hand over ceremony of the captain’s band should take place to the current ‘Capi’ Robert Mambo who can then resume play. This am sure will take less than 45 seconds.

Musa should not play more than 15 minutes, it might spoil the celebration. You never know. We might be beaten while he is still in the game which can demystify the whole ceremony. Come to think about it, he actually needs only 5 minutes of the game.

A small party to acknowledge his Contribution towards Kenyan and African Soccer as a whole should there after take place at a nice restaurant in town in the evening, speeches by KFF Officials and any other dignitaries invited takes place followed by dinner or however best possible the arrangement is planned to make the send off a success.

I would love to see Musa taking home a trophy as a recognition for the great services he has rendered the country.

If South Africa where our son was not born could honor him, why can’t we do it, and even better?

* Otieno Photo courtesy of Sporting Heroes website