Against Thika Utd Minnaert got tactics, formations right

I must apologise to the Ingwe legion for going on recess without as much as notifying you that we were taking a break. I presume this is the same situation with fellow columnists Tom Osanjo — the unashamed K’Ogalo heckler and Moses Ojuang find themselves in. 

At the very least, a forewarning would have sufficed. Problem is, some of these decisions are taken higher up on the editorial ladder and without our involvement or concurrence. That is life.
I do hope that while we were away, you all enjoyed the Euro 2016 and the Copa America.

What struck me most about these two mini-global football festivals is the level of organisation. That small nations like Iceland, the size of Umoja/Kayole are able to assemble a team capable of seeing off the so-called football superpowers such as England demonstrated how far proper organisation can take even the most average of teams.

This is a far cry from the disorganisation and corruption that drives football not only at Ingwe and K’Ogalo but across this cursed continent.

From officials pilfering players’ salaries, allowances and gate collections to crooks buying their way to football administration as a step to political leadership.

PERFECT PAIRING

Genesis 1:9 tells us; “God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.”

The other Saturday, I followed the Ingwe-Thika United match on television owing to work demands and what I saw from our boys was “good.”

For once, head coach Ivan Minnaert appeared to get his tactics and formations right. He also seemed to have finally settled on his best starting eleven.

After tinkering with the defensive formation for some time now, he seems to have realised that a Jackson Saleh-Yakub Ramadhan is the perfect pairing.

That you get the best of Ingwe when you pair Bernard Mang’oli and Allan Kateregga just behind the main strikers, though the position of holding midfield still needs a more assertive character.

And last weekend, I also had a chance to watch the Ingwe-Mathare match and I was not disappointed. Mathare is not just any other team, it is among the best and it gave Ingwe a run for their money.
Ingwe had to make do without captain Mang’oli for one whole half and his play making skills were sorely missed.

It is also a pity that we could not utilise our new midfield acquisition Moussa Sissoko due to issues to do with paperwork and my appeal is that the matter be sorted out with utmost urgency.

For once, the Ingwe nation has a chance to elect credible and capable officials this coming weekend and reject characters whose only intention is to deep their fingers in the club’s coffers.

[email protected]