NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 13 – Kenya’s Under-15 girls’ team tactician Jackline Juma has made history, becoming the first ever woman to be named a head coach in the FKF Premier League after being named the boss of FC Talanta, and she says she will prove her mettle in the big boys’ table.
Juma was appointed by Talanta to take charge of the team, picking on from Jackson Gatheru who had been handed the mantle on the interim after the club parted ways with long serving Ken Kenyatta.
Gatheru will revert back to his role as assistant, with Juma taking the boss’ shoes and leading the team out for the 20240-25 season.
“This is an achievement not just for me but all the female coaches out there,” the CAF A license holder said.
“I want to come in here, gain the experience and soar to greater heights. Gender should not be a barrier to limit our female coaches. They should step up and take the challenge and I am here to show that yes, they can do it. I thank Talanta for believing in me, as much as I am a female coach,” Juma further said.
She added; “The female coaches should not shy off from taking these classes and get their licenses. They should get knowledge to be able to coach these teams.”
The club fought relegation for most of last season, and managed to survive, and this is a notion that Juma wants to change as she takes up the job. Though she is not divulging any of her targets, she has promised the club will not be a relegation fighting outfit again.
“There are goals and targets. We don’t want to find ourselves in the same situation like last season. For us, we are taking a game at a time and going out there to perform in the best way possible,” further added the coach.
Juma has paid tribute to the Football Kenya Federation for their effort in availing coaching classes for aspiring tacticians to take up. According to CAF Club Licensing rules, all coaches working as heads in the top flight leagues should have a minimum of a CAF A license.
