Origi calls for better player treatment
by Claudia Ekai 07 February 2013, 10:56
Harambee Stars shot stopper Arnold Origi has called for better treatment of national team players.
Speaking after Satrs thrashed Libya 3-0 in a friendly played in Tunis on Wednesday, Origi said he was disappointed at the way the players had been handled during the trip.
“Performing the way they did under the poor circumstances that they were put in, to be quite honest no Kenyan should ever doubt the patriotism of any Kenyan player. The way the national team is being handled must change as soon as possible because this is just a disgrace,” he said on his facebook status.
He also continued to argue his point that explained their nature of situation compared to other teams.
“It only happens in Kenyan football. Countries like Sudan are fully kitted by Puma for example. Why do we have to use a Masita kit that was donated some five years ago? You should have seen the players under these freezing conditions here in Tunis.”
“People could not believe we were a national team. We looked like a bunch of school boys on a school trip. We are a laughing stalk. It’s a big shame to Kenya as a country,” he added.
When contacted for his comment on the issue, Former Kenya International Dan Shikanda faulted the federation.
“The federation in charge thinks more of how much they’ll make in their tenure instead of what they should do for the national team while they have the term as the people that run everything,” he told supersport.com.
“They don’t know what description of being a chairman, team manager and logistics manager is. There should be people who do the background before games and know what weather the players will play in, what they will eat, if there is a disease outbreak and many other factors to be considered. The management skills in Kenyan football are zero.”
“It is wrong. No preparation was done and by preparation I don’t mean going to camp, I mean putting all those factors that affect players in a match.”
“I remember when we went to play El Ittihad in Libya while I was in Gor Mahia back in the days. Our hosts donated boots and kits to us to keep us warm because we encountered a cold weather in Benghazi. However, we eliminated them from the club championship. But this shouldn’t happen now and to the players who don the colours to represent their country.”
