The past half decade or so has seen a lot of development in the Kenyan football scene. We have climbed from position 127 in 2001 to just bellow 100th mark which is represents one of the best positions Kenya has ever held on the rankings since the turn of the century. Kenya is now ranked at position 107 in the world.The Sebastian Migne-coached side is 25th on the continent, and second in the CECAFA region behind only Uganda who remain the highest ranked team in the region.
With this rise has also been the development of footballing infrastructure with the county of Mombasa, Machakos, Kakamega leading in constructing and renovation of a number of football stadiums. The rise of Gor Mahia football club and their strong showing on the continental scene has brought the fans back to the stands and the effect of live television coverage cannot be overstated. Foreign coaches are now common place in Kenyan football not only in the National Football Team 'Harambee Stars' but also at club level with Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards, Sofapaka and even Bandari employing foreign tacticians at various times. But we have also witnessed a plethora of local tacticians ready to compete and go toe to toe with the best in the world and the region, and they're doing a pretty good job. This article presents what I believe to be the best local footballing brains we have in the country today.
15. Paul Ogai - Western Stima Football Club.
Western Stima coach Paul Ogai is one of the household names in Kenyan Football. Since his appointment he has done a good job at western Stima, establishing them in the top half of the Kenyan Premier League Standings season after season. He recently won the Fidelity Insurance coach of the month for December after a poll conducted by the Sport Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK) football panel.
14. Sammy Omollo "Pamzo" - Assistant Coach KCB.
The much travelled former Kenyan international is one of the most experienced in the country having managed top tier teams even as far as India. He is another recipient of the Fidelity Insurance Coach of The Month Award. Previously with Posta Rangers football club, he was sacked in February this year. He won the Kenya Premier League title with Tusker in 2011.
13. Ken Kenyatta - Ushuru Football Club
This is the man who put Ushuru Football Club on the Kenyan footballing scene when he got the promoted to the top tier and he is slowly doing the job again. He currently has them perched on the top of the National Super League table. He has a long standing feud with Gor Mahia which is hard to explain. But that aside, his teams play a compact game with quick transitions and tend to score many goals on the counter attack.
12. Dunstan Nyaudo - Ulinzi Football Club
Danstan Nyaudo, the former Harambee Stars player, took the reigns from Nyangweso in 2017 and has the former giants competing again. As we speak today, Ulinzi sits comfortably at position 5 on the log and their stricker Enosh Ochieng is leading the race to the golden boot this season. Dunstan Nyaudo's style, even though not entertaining, produces results and that's what football is all about in the final analysis.
11. Nicholas Muyoti - Kakamega Homeboys Football Club
The 42 year old former international defender is one of the best in the country. He single handedly brought Nzoia Sugar FC from relegation and now is doing an amazing job at Kakamega Homeboys. He was formerly with Thika United.
10. Frank Ouna - KCB FC
Frank Ouna was an assistant coach at Gor Mahai before he took the reigns at the newly promoted Wazito FC. When Wazito got relegated he moved on to KCB and is doing just fine. His team beat Gor Mahia 1-0 earlier this season which in itself is a huge achievement given the gulf in class between the two sides. He employs a possession based playing style with neat passes and interplay.
9. Robert Matano - Tusker FC
The two time Kenya Premier League title winner is one of the few Kenyan-born coaches to have won the league in the past decade. He has managed almost all the big clubs in Kenya except Gor Mahia. He has managed Leopards, Ulinzi, Tusker and is the man who got SOFAPAKA promoted to the KPL in 2009 and won the league with them, the very first time of asking. He won the league again with Tusker in 2016 denying Gor Mahia what would have been a third league tittle in a row. This achievement look all the more impressive if you consider the fact that it was the same Gor Mahia team that never lost a game for the entire season the year before that he snatched the league title from. His major shortcoming is the style of football his teams play: a boring style based on long balls lobbed forward, fighting for the second ball and dependence on set pieces. Built around a strong defensive base, his teams neither concede nor score many goals.
8. Francis Oduor - Kisumu All-Stars
Francis Oduor is a former Kenyan international currently at the helm of Kisumu All Star Football Club based in Kisumu and dubbed "The blue Eagles". He has established the little known club near the the top of National Super League, battling with big spenders like Nairobi Stima, Ushuru FC and Wazito. His team plays an expansive style of attacking football that's thoroughly entertaining and easy on the eye. He sets up his teams to break quickly on the counter attack and break defenses down with penetrative passes. His sparing use of possession is akin to what Klopp does at Liverpool, with an emphasis on speed and movement, as opposed to keeping the ball just for possession's sake. It is with these tactics that he broke Nairobi Stima's twenty game unbeaten run.
7. Francis Kimanzi - Mathare United FC
The man who won the Kenya Premier League with Mathare United in 2008 is still going strong. He is one of the few local coaches to have managed the National Team. He is known for his unique brand of football based on penetration and movement. His teams are however vulnerable to long balls and counter attacks. He has over the years established a reputation of taking early leads in the league before his team fizzles out as the competition thickens. Kimanzi also coaches the Kenya National Under 20 football Team.
6. Francis Baraza - Chemelil Sugar Football Club
What Francis Baraza does when he joins a club is that he makes them hard to beat. His style of play is indescribable. He employs long balls with little possession but get the results when it matters. AFC Leopards are currently rumoured to be eying his services.
5. Patrick Odhiambo - Sony Sugar Football Club
What can I say about this man? He has won coach of the month, his team play some good football and he wins, that's all. The only remaining thing for him to do is to win a trophy or two to establish his growing reputation.
4. Bernard Mwalala - Bandari Football Club
Bernard Mwalala has got Bandari fc competing again. He won the highly coveted GOtv shield last season and also took Bandari to the finals of the SportPesa Super Cup in Tanzania before losing to Kariobangi Sharks. He was runners up to Gor Mahia last season and these efforts earned him the covetted coach of the year award for 2018. What's more, his team currently sits atop the K.P.L Standings. Having been runners up last season, the only question is; will he go one position better than that? Those who write him off may be in rude shock come the end of the season.
3. William Muluya - Kariobangi Sharks Football Club
Muluya is one of the best local coaches, of course. He won the Sportpesa Super Cup with Kariobangi Sharks and to his credit, his team has beaten the giant that is Gor Mahia not once but three times in a row, which in itself is no mean feat!
2. George Owoko - Nairobi Stima Football Club
This little known man, is probably the best coach in Kenya Today. Former Tusker FC assistant coach was named the head coach of National Super League (NSL) side Nairobi Stima on a two-year deal beginning last year and has guided them to second place in the National Super League. His teams are characteristically hard to beat, a factor that has made him very successful in knockout tournaments.
He led Nairobi Stima to a 20 game unbeaten run that was eventually halted by a 1- 0 defeat at the hands of Kisumu All-stars FC. Owoko also led St. Anthony’s Boys High School and Barding School to the crown at the KSSA National Secondary School Ball Games. He has also coached Ambira Secondary school and Finleys FC. He helped Barding win the East African Secondary Schools football title in 2016.
1. John Baraza - SOFAPAKA Football Club
John Baraza is the current Coach of Sofapaka Football Club where he played as a striker till his retirement four years ago. The former Kenya International striker is not much regarded but has consistently surpassed expectations with his Sofapaka side. He has transformed them into league contenders every year with his style that emphasizes quick transistion and a high press. He recently employed these tactics to destroy Francis Kimanzi's Mathare United inside only 30 minutes at Kasarani. At just 38, he has a promising future ahead of him.
With this rise has also been the development of footballing infrastructure with the county of Mombasa, Machakos, Kakamega leading in constructing and renovation of a number of football stadiums. The rise of Gor Mahia football club and their strong showing on the continental scene has brought the fans back to the stands and the effect of live television coverage cannot be overstated. Foreign coaches are now common place in Kenyan football not only in the National Football Team 'Harambee Stars' but also at club level with Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards, Sofapaka and even Bandari employing foreign tacticians at various times. But we have also witnessed a plethora of local tacticians ready to compete and go toe to toe with the best in the world and the region, and they're doing a pretty good job. This article presents what I believe to be the best local footballing brains we have in the country today.
15. Paul Ogai - Western Stima Football Club.
Western Stima coach Paul Ogai is one of the household names in Kenyan Football. Since his appointment he has done a good job at western Stima, establishing them in the top half of the Kenyan Premier League Standings season after season. He recently won the Fidelity Insurance coach of the month for December after a poll conducted by the Sport Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK) football panel.
14. Sammy Omollo "Pamzo" - Assistant Coach KCB.
The much travelled former Kenyan international is one of the most experienced in the country having managed top tier teams even as far as India. He is another recipient of the Fidelity Insurance Coach of The Month Award. Previously with Posta Rangers football club, he was sacked in February this year. He won the Kenya Premier League title with Tusker in 2011.
13. Ken Kenyatta - Ushuru Football Club
This is the man who put Ushuru Football Club on the Kenyan footballing scene when he got the promoted to the top tier and he is slowly doing the job again. He currently has them perched on the top of the National Super League table. He has a long standing feud with Gor Mahia which is hard to explain. But that aside, his teams play a compact game with quick transitions and tend to score many goals on the counter attack.
12. Dunstan Nyaudo - Ulinzi Football Club
Danstan Nyaudo, the former Harambee Stars player, took the reigns from Nyangweso in 2017 and has the former giants competing again. As we speak today, Ulinzi sits comfortably at position 5 on the log and their stricker Enosh Ochieng is leading the race to the golden boot this season. Dunstan Nyaudo's style, even though not entertaining, produces results and that's what football is all about in the final analysis.
11. Nicholas Muyoti - Kakamega Homeboys Football Club
The 42 year old former international defender is one of the best in the country. He single handedly brought Nzoia Sugar FC from relegation and now is doing an amazing job at Kakamega Homeboys. He was formerly with Thika United.
10. Frank Ouna - KCB FC
Frank Ouna was an assistant coach at Gor Mahai before he took the reigns at the newly promoted Wazito FC. When Wazito got relegated he moved on to KCB and is doing just fine. His team beat Gor Mahia 1-0 earlier this season which in itself is a huge achievement given the gulf in class between the two sides. He employs a possession based playing style with neat passes and interplay.
9. Robert Matano - Tusker FC
The two time Kenya Premier League title winner is one of the few Kenyan-born coaches to have won the league in the past decade. He has managed almost all the big clubs in Kenya except Gor Mahia. He has managed Leopards, Ulinzi, Tusker and is the man who got SOFAPAKA promoted to the KPL in 2009 and won the league with them, the very first time of asking. He won the league again with Tusker in 2016 denying Gor Mahia what would have been a third league tittle in a row. This achievement look all the more impressive if you consider the fact that it was the same Gor Mahia team that never lost a game for the entire season the year before that he snatched the league title from. His major shortcoming is the style of football his teams play: a boring style based on long balls lobbed forward, fighting for the second ball and dependence on set pieces. Built around a strong defensive base, his teams neither concede nor score many goals.
8. Francis Oduor - Kisumu All-Stars
Francis Oduor is a former Kenyan international currently at the helm of Kisumu All Star Football Club based in Kisumu and dubbed "The blue Eagles". He has established the little known club near the the top of National Super League, battling with big spenders like Nairobi Stima, Ushuru FC and Wazito. His team plays an expansive style of attacking football that's thoroughly entertaining and easy on the eye. He sets up his teams to break quickly on the counter attack and break defenses down with penetrative passes. His sparing use of possession is akin to what Klopp does at Liverpool, with an emphasis on speed and movement, as opposed to keeping the ball just for possession's sake. It is with these tactics that he broke Nairobi Stima's twenty game unbeaten run.
7. Francis Kimanzi - Mathare United FC
The man who won the Kenya Premier League with Mathare United in 2008 is still going strong. He is one of the few local coaches to have managed the National Team. He is known for his unique brand of football based on penetration and movement. His teams are however vulnerable to long balls and counter attacks. He has over the years established a reputation of taking early leads in the league before his team fizzles out as the competition thickens. Kimanzi also coaches the Kenya National Under 20 football Team.
6. Francis Baraza - Chemelil Sugar Football Club
What Francis Baraza does when he joins a club is that he makes them hard to beat. His style of play is indescribable. He employs long balls with little possession but get the results when it matters. AFC Leopards are currently rumoured to be eying his services.
5. Patrick Odhiambo - Sony Sugar Football Club
What can I say about this man? He has won coach of the month, his team play some good football and he wins, that's all. The only remaining thing for him to do is to win a trophy or two to establish his growing reputation.
4. Bernard Mwalala - Bandari Football Club
Bernard Mwalala has got Bandari fc competing again. He won the highly coveted GOtv shield last season and also took Bandari to the finals of the SportPesa Super Cup in Tanzania before losing to Kariobangi Sharks. He was runners up to Gor Mahia last season and these efforts earned him the covetted coach of the year award for 2018. What's more, his team currently sits atop the K.P.L Standings. Having been runners up last season, the only question is; will he go one position better than that? Those who write him off may be in rude shock come the end of the season.
3. William Muluya - Kariobangi Sharks Football Club
Muluya is one of the best local coaches, of course. He won the Sportpesa Super Cup with Kariobangi Sharks and to his credit, his team has beaten the giant that is Gor Mahia not once but three times in a row, which in itself is no mean feat!
2. George Owoko - Nairobi Stima Football Club
This little known man, is probably the best coach in Kenya Today. Former Tusker FC assistant coach was named the head coach of National Super League (NSL) side Nairobi Stima on a two-year deal beginning last year and has guided them to second place in the National Super League. His teams are characteristically hard to beat, a factor that has made him very successful in knockout tournaments.
He led Nairobi Stima to a 20 game unbeaten run that was eventually halted by a 1- 0 defeat at the hands of Kisumu All-stars FC. Owoko also led St. Anthony’s Boys High School and Barding School to the crown at the KSSA National Secondary School Ball Games. He has also coached Ambira Secondary school and Finleys FC. He helped Barding win the East African Secondary Schools football title in 2016.
1. John Baraza - SOFAPAKA Football Club
John Baraza is the current Coach of Sofapaka Football Club where he played as a striker till his retirement four years ago. The former Kenya International striker is not much regarded but has consistently surpassed expectations with his Sofapaka side. He has transformed them into league contenders every year with his style that emphasizes quick transistion and a high press. He recently employed these tactics to destroy Francis Kimanzi's Mathare United inside only 30 minutes at Kasarani. At just 38, he has a promising future ahead of him.
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