Wanyama says Kenyan football on right path

Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama believes better days await Kenyan football under the leadership of the current national federation.

The Tottenham Hotspur ace said he is optimistic the Nick Mwendwa-led administration that came to power last year in February will deliver on promises captured on their manifesto but warned that implementation will require patience.

His sentiments come a day after FKF boss Mwendwa told fans and stakeholders that the structures they are putting up could take as long as ten years before they can begin to take noticeable shape.

“Football management in Kenya is  slowly getting better with the new federation and all we need to do is give them time and see what they will do,” Wanyama told US-based television channel ESPN.

Wanyama who is with his Spurs teammates in the US for the club’s pre-season tour emphasised FKF will succeed in their plans to grow football from the grassroots up in the country that is now ranked 84th worldwide by governing body FIFA.

With the World Cup set to take place next summer in Russia, Wanyama believes it’s just a matter of time before an African nation wins the world’s most prestigious football trophy.

“African football has improved so much and we are no far from the European countries. As you can see a lot of players from the continent are playing abroad. In those big leagues, they are getting the experience needed to improve their respective national teams so sooner or later we’ll start competing on the same level,” Wanyama said.

The midfielder who was one of Tottenham’s standout players last season added he can only get better next season with the team that finished second and reached the FA Cup semi-finals.

“I expect to be a better Victor than the one of last season,” the former Southampton FC player declared.

Wanyama was honoured in Tanzania by having a street named after him in the country’s commercial capital port city of Dar es Salaam.

That gesture looked to have been short-lived as the street sign was later pulled down.

A statement from the local Ubungo Council said procedures to rename a street had not been observed.

“I was given the street by surprise I didn’t know what was happening. Politics played its part but the people still refer to the street as ‘the Victor Wanyama Street’ and that kind of love is humbling.”