NAIROBI, Kenya, May 15 – Former Gor Mahia midfielder Joseph ‘Pablo’ Njuguna wants to mould the next generation of Kenyan footballers using his experience as a former player and upcoming coach.
Njuguna says he has acquired a lot of knowledge in his time in the game, which he would love to pass on to young talents at the grassroots.
“Working with youth talents is something I have a passion for. It is unfortunate many players are signed in their teens but are not technically sound. I believe if we lay down the foundation or basics at an early age, these players will be at a good technical level by the time they reach 17 or 18 years of age. They’ll have an understanding of passing and the overall game,” Njuguna said.
The former Harambee Stars midfielder boasts a longstanding career at the club level, including stints at Tusker, Rangers FC as well as K’Ogalo for who he played under Croatian Zdravko Logarusic.
Njuguna admitted he has noted a lot of differences between playing and coaching, noting that the latter involves more in-depth aspects.
“I have a learnt a lot…at first I only had the knowledge I had acquired while I was still a player. However, I have come to learn that playing and coaching are two different things,” he said.
Njuguna was among 20 coaches who graduated from a 10-day Caf D coaching course program at Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) in Komarock on Tuesday afternoon.
The course, organised by Football Kenya Federation (FKF) in conjunction with the continental football governing body, seeks to provide a pathway for retired footballers into a new journey as coaches.
