Poor structures to blame half-baked soccer talents decries, Mulama

Former Harambee Stars midfielder Titus Mulama says systemic issues have prevented young Kenyan players from fulfilling their potential as they have limited access to training and development facilities.

“If I answer you about why U-20 or U-18 players don’t get a place in the senior team, it’s that here in Kenya, we don’t have good youth structures, which makes it difficult for us to monitor a player and his performance from the age of 15, 16, 17 to know how he or she has been progressing.

“Without consistent progress tracking, it's challenging for coaches and selectors to gauge when a young player is genuinely ready for higher levels of competition.” Said Mulama.

Mulama asserts that inhibitive factors like lack of opportunities for these young players to undergo specialized training or participate in competitions frequently have hindered their progress.

According to Mulama, the absence of dedicated youth tournaments and intensive training sessions leads to what he described as “half-baked” player development.

“Young talents are often thrust into the spotlight prematurely or stagnate without a chance to reach their full potential.

“The lack of international exposure also limits their experience, making them unprepared for the rigorous demands of senior-level football.

“We don’t have platforms where these youngsters are involved or go through special training or competitions every now and then.

“This makes it difficult for coaches to have confidence that this player is a complete footballer.”

According to the former Mathare United player, young players in Kenya only compete in a handful of school games, with no pathway to regularly engage in high-stakes matches, adding that this lack of consistent, competitive play at an early age leaves them unprepared for the challenges of senior competitions.

“You get a player who only plays in scarce school games, and they don’t get good exposure at international levels from a young age.

“The situation forces clubs to rely on older, experienced players, especially those who have competed abroad, while young players, despite their potential, are sidelined.” He added.