TOM BWANA: Kepha Aswani is testament to unprofessionalism in KPL

TOM BWANA: Kepha Aswani is testament to unprofessionalism in KPL

AFC Leopards’ striker Kepha Aswani this week stunned everyone when he aimed bows and arrows at his head coach Ivan Minnaert for deliberately continually sidelining him when he clearly should be played more because, in the striker’s own words, he is in the race to winning a dream golden boot.

In a Facebook post, that later he absurdly claimed had been posted by a hacker, Aswani expressed frustration at always being seen as a last resort by his coach. He thinly alluded to resignation by saying he had surrendered. All this on Facebook immediately after the 4-1 humiliation his Ingwe suffered at the hands of the resurgent Kakamega Homeboyz.

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A screenshot of Kepha Aswani’s rantings against AFC Leopards Coach Ivan Minnaert posted on Facebook moments after Kakamega Homeboyz humbled Ingwe 4-1

 

Hacked or not, Aswani’s sorry story is a direct allegory of the not-so professional mannerisms of the people calling themselves footballers in the leagues across Kenya. No wonder when a player transfers from a local club to another out of the country he’s said to have gone professional.

Professionalism in football goes beyond better remuneration. There are loads of ethical issues involved. Our players need to be told they are the brand ambassadors of the clubs that pay their bills. And it is not that clubs are not doing much. The players only seem bullheaded not to accept circumspect advice even when it is offered.

Gor Mahia’s Collins Okoth is another living legend of tenacity.  Gattuso has mastered the art of giving career ending tackles to his coaches on Facebook. We all remember once back he claimed to have resigned from football, went to Sofapaka, resigned again from football then came back to K’Ogalo. Now, the apprehension between him and Coach Ze Maria is at an all-time crescendo.

If players are to be called professional they have to accept to live without certain freedoms. Even loose-mouths like Tom Bwana do not post everything and anything on Social Media.

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Aswani then claimed that his earlier Facebook post was the work of some hacker. One wonder why Aswani would apologize in this post. On behalf of the hacker? Ha!

 

Aswani may want to play that hacker card till cows come home but he’s not convincing anyone that a hacker was brilliant enough to write English as badly as he does. Hackers do not have a sense of humor.  Evidently he bluffed in racing to express his frustration at how he was treated by Coach Minnaert.

What happened to freedom of expression? One may ask. Yes, those are human rights. Not professional rights. Once you sign up for a club as big as AFC Leopards, your freedom of expression regarding choices made by the club is smashed aside. You play your part in the team if and when the bosses call upon your services. Professionalism is discipline.

If our football is to grow we have to train our players that the profession comes with ethics. Aswani and Okoth are just but examples of what happens on these streets in our game. We may shout our voices hoarse at football administrators about the deteriorating nature of the game but we have to ask pertinent questions regarding the mannerisms of players.

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Look at the consistency of writing ‘am’ in all the posts. Hackers truly have a sense of humor!

 

Innocent Mutiso’s Kenya Footballers’ Welfare Association (KEFWA) has to be reminded that its mandate does not start and end with suiting up for every Sportpesa event. They have to train their members on how to carry themselves out in the trade. In fact, if we ever had any code of conduct, it should be KEFWA’s mandate to help its members understand it. This would give the association a greater voice when talking about members’ welfare.

Kepha Aswani may have prudently and promptly deleted his posts but brother, the internet never forgets.

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