The two day FIFA Club Professionalization and Management Programme that ended at Hyatt Regency Hotel in Nairobi has been lauded as a game changer in the local football industry.

Football Kenya Federation(FKF) organized the training which involved officials from the 18 FKF-Premier League clubs where the attendees were take through the paces on matters finance, governance and management.

FKF president Nick Mwendwa alluded to Kenya being at a good place in matters of development with such high level training coming to help Club Managers.

“We are happy to be the second nation in the continent that have benefited from this very important project that helps our clubs to grow and be professional. Clubs are the heartbeat of football in this sport so it is therefore important to have them engaged in a proper way. Management is important and as such we believe that we can only get better especially with the concept of Club Licensing Rules,” he said.

AFC Leopards SC Chairman Dan Shikanda has lauded the organizers for the important lessons to Club Managers. ” This program has come at an opportune time and indeed opened our eyes. Despite the issues internally, we now have a sense of how Management at top level works. Operations and Financing is crucial so it is about discipline and also the aspect of sustainability is very important for clubs given our realities especially in matters of running a professional club, “he said.

FIFA Head of Development in Africa Solomon Mudege on his part stated; “Clubs in Kenya are certainly going to benefit a huge deal for such interaction because it is essentially about professionalism of the sport. This is the new reality and we want to share skills and knowledge on matters of governance and management. With that in hindsight, finances are a key hindrance but we can find ways to sustain our clubs as espoused under Club Licensing rules, “he said.

FIFA Management Consultant Pedro Manuel Miranda was categorical that organizational structure was important in driving clubs forward in terms of ambition.

“Structure is everything in Management and it helps in building a strategic plan  clubs for instance in Kenya can have tangible and realistic targets but ensure implementing ideas is pushed. Areas around Infrastructure development, Player welfare and Fan engagement are equally important but it is also about the necessary steps per institution and also prioritization. The entire ecosystem is by and large about building a brand which is the chief asset. Commitment balancing from a competition and social poInt of view must be elaborate and aligned with the organization policy.”

FIFA’s overall goal is about creating a more competition initiated football ecosystem globally where a large number of football clubs from every region of the world compete at the highest level off the pitch.

This concept being new sees FIFA Club Professionalization and Management program introduce new initiatives from FIFA and will be held in person as well as thanks to online sessions for the benefit of 12 African Members Associations (Algeria, Angola, Cameroon, Cote d Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda).

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