Muyoti, Kenyatta clash on KPL promotion-relegation

Football is an emotive affair. Rightfully so, it evokes passion and emotions in equal measure and no coach would be happy at the prospect of his team falling to the dreaded relegation axe.

On the same vein, a team’s ascendancy to the top is usually greeted with delirium because of the fascinating feeling it injects to the nerves after months of rigorous action.

Putting this into perspective, it is no rocket science that Nicholas Muyoti, the coach of Thika United, the team that finished the ended campaign at position 16, would fume at the prospects of facing Ushuru in a two- leg play off to determine who attains KPL status.

In fact, Muyoti is fuming at the suggestion that his team may be subjected to a play-off after a horrendous run in the top division which saw his side survive an automatic relegation slot by the skin of their teeth.

On the other hand, Ushuru coach, Ken Kenyatta, whose team had topped the NSL only to falter at the eleventh hour and finish third, is bullishly relishing the play-off, acutely aware that it their only hope of sealing a berth to the KPL.

FKF has already slotted December 2 as the date of the first leg clash between the two sides, but Muyoti is having none of it.

“I don’t even have official communication about the playoffs. I just saw on social media debates about the proposed matches. It is quite unprofessional to impose such a rule which was not agreed upon at the start of the season.

“The fact that there was no set date for the matches tells it all. Saying we play again almost three weeks after breaking camp will be unfair to us, because focus had already shifted to next season,” the tactician said.

According to the former AFC Leopards skipper and coach, proper consultations among all relevant stakeholders would have mitigated the ‘problem arising at such a time.’

“We don’t have a problem playing as long as all stakeholders in the matter are in unison. The trouble in this scenario is how the said rule is being forced through by one side.

“Ignoring stakeholders in such sensitive matter only amounts to crisis,” added Muyoti.

Muyoti at the same time is confident his charges will be part of KPL in 2018, whether they play Ushuru in the final decider or not.

Having escaped the axe to NSL by a whisker after beating Western Stima on goal-difference in the last round of the season, Muyoti offers his men are poised for the top despite the ‘new setback’.

“We thought everything was over after that 1-0 win over Bandari on November 18, but we will defend our place in the Premier League again if we must.

“We don’t fear Ushuru, we only respect them. They fought hard in the NSL and missed direct promotion by a small margin,” he averred.

Kenyatta is even more blunt, saying he knew there was another entry route into KPL if direct qualification was not attained.

“Let Thika be honest, this rule was passed before the start of the season. We are ready for them and my players are charged than I am for a return to the top-flight.

“I discussed with them (players) after Saturday’s loss to Vihiga United, and they know it is not over until we face Thika,” he charged.

According to Kenyatta, the federation rightfully introduced the playoff criteria.

“Let them (Thika) get ready as we do. They are even better positioned because they had enough time to rest, while my players are fatigued after the weekend assignment.

“Politics aside, we all know who the custodian of the game in Kenya is,” he said.

But even as the two coaches haggle, Citizen Digital understands that at the centre of a looming showdown is grand-standing by each side, with sources within KPL Limited saying the idea of the two-legged playoff is not part of the competition rules, and would therefore resist it.

Meanwhile, FKF chief Nick Mwendwa is on record maintaining that the first leg of the playoff will be on Saturday and the return leg on December 6.