BONYO: Return the 12th man to the stadium

Football is back, at both levels, local and international. The World Cup frenzy is on and Kenyans are glued, supporting their favourite teams as they square it out in Qatar.

On a smaller scale, the local Kenya Premier League (KPL) is also back in action after nearly a year on the ice.

Last weekend, I attended a match between Gor Mahia and Nzoia Sugar. The match played at the Nyayo National Stadium was nostalgic by all means. It was the first time I and many other fans (well, a handful of us) were returning to ‘Nyayo’ after its renovation.

At the stands with me was Tony Anelka, a colleague and a friend. Anelka is an ardent Gor Mahia supporter and an insider. My brother and friend Dr Vitalis Ogola, a Kisumu-based dentist was with us too and we had a robust discussion in between the match on the state of Kenyan football.

The two gentlemen have immense knowledge and interest in local soccer. Dr Ogola has in the past sponsored Kisumu All Stars (Otenga) courtesy of his Royal Dental Clinic based in the Lakeside City. He had a good plan but then bureaucracy showed its face and he had to step back.

Back to the match, the beats of the drums across the field on the Russia side of the stadium brought back good memories. Memories of K’ogalo of yesteryears that we joked would beat any team. Either in the field or off field, thanks to the supporters and fans.  Throughout the 98 minutes the match was played, the fans were on their feet. They sang, danced and when the solo goal came at the 69th minute, the tempo went a notch higher. We all celebrated the league opener courtesy of Benson Omalla.

At the main terrace where we sat, a sizeable number of fans too kept on their feet, but not as religious as the Russia side. A shout here and there, a cheer and a jeer as well as loud roars emanated, though with a depressed passion.

Overall, the match from our assessment was poorly attended. Gor Mahia being a home team should have had better representation by the 12th player. The match being the first of the season should have set the tempo for future matches of the league.

But what must a club like Gor Mahia do to rally back its fans to the stadium?

First, the club must map its supporters. Know who they are, where they are and if possible, what they do away from the terraces. This knowledge in the current frame of data analytics would be key in targeting and interesting them in the games.

Next, the club must utilize social media as a major platform to market its matches and attract new fans to the stable. This Gor Mahia has done well previously and most of its success then was attributed to a huge urban following it enjoyed. As a matter of fact, Anelka still remains the Facebook page administrator of one of the club’s biggest pages. At its peak, he was so powerful that he could send truant members of the page to a cold room until they learnt good manners.

Local media has also been a key partner in promotion of football in Kenya. Many days in the newsrooms, Mashemeji Derby pitting K’ogalo and AFC Leopards have ended up as top story either for colour or terror. These newsroom networks need to be revived to give our national football the coverage it deserves. It is possible, it has been done before, it can be done again.

To the 12th man, Kenyan football requires your presence. The stadium is a nice place to unwind and catch up with friends. Many beautiful things happen at the stadium, the songs, the dance and the cheering make it at a buffet of entertainment. Indeed, in the past, sections of the green army have found love in the terrace. As players shot on goals, they shot their shots and got lucky.

But before the 12th man returns to the pitch, clubs must show and prove it is worth it by delivering quality matches and merchandise to boot.