James Colinese explains a point during a session with KPL and NSL coaches on December 8, 2016. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 9 – The week-long Arsenal-led coaching course involving Kenyan Premier League, National Super League and Women Premier League coaches comes to a close on Friday evening and the community coaches from the North London club have been impressed with the level of knowledge among the local tacticians.
This is the second installment of the partnership undertaken by Arsenal’s official Africa betting partner SportPesa who are also the KPL title sponsors and partners with the Football Kenya Federation.
“They’ve got some great knowledge and a lot of experience. They have got a lot of ideas in and around the way in which the game can be played and over the last couple of days it has been very interesting speaking to them and getting to know the challenges they are facing with regards to the game,” James Colinese, the Arsenal community coach leading the project told Capital Sport.
The coach disclosed they have been working to entrench the ‘Arsenal way’ of playing on the coaches by also trying to fuse the same philosophy with their own way of coaching.
“They are getting there. They’ve got a lot of their kind of ways in which they look at the game and their ideas on how they want to play and now crossed over to playing the Arsenal way. It is just how the structure and design can be brought out to further develop their players in playing the Arsenal way,” Colinese added.
Ulinzi Stars head coach Benjamin Nyangweso dribbles as Nakuru All Stars’ Nick Yakhama and Thika United’s James Nandwa watch during a practical session at an Arsenal-organized coaching clinic in Nairobi on December 8, 2016. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
The coaches themselves have been impressed with the knowledge imparted on them, but some say a huge part of ‘The Arsenal way’ will be tough to implement due to poor state of pitches in the country.
“There has been so much to learn but again, some aspects might be a challenge to implement especially on passing. If you look at most of our pitches in Kenya, it is not easy playing that free-flowing kind of football,” Ushuru FC coach Ken Kenyatta said.
William Muluya, whose side Kariobangi Sharks are one of the clubs known of playing the tiki-taka passing game associated with The Gunners added;
“We have learnt so many different ways of looking at the game. Not only learning from the Arsenal coaches but also interacting with the other coaches as well. It has been a very positive learning period.”
Meanwhile, Tatiana Elaguila who is the coordinator of the program and Partner Services Executive at Arsenal said they will be looking to work with a similar group over a long period of time as opposed with taking up a different group of coaches every time they come.
She noted the objectives of the program will only be achieved if it is passed on over a consistent group.
