Football Kenya Federation can draw lessons from Iceland's Euro 2016 run

Iceland's fairy-tale run in the ongoing Euro 2016 still dominates most football fans chit-chats days after the Icelanders were eliminated at the quarter-final stage by hosts France.

The world of football has hailed their stunning performance in their maiden Euro Championship appearance given the Nordic nation’s population of just 330,000.

By the time they left France after falling 5-2 in the quarters to the hosts, Iceland - playing at their first major finals - had blown away any notion they were simply in France to make up the numbers.

The bookmakers have however forgotten a vital point that acted as the wind that has kept the Island’s sail going – youth grassroots football programme.

As a football fan and a keen follower of our local football, I took time to look at lessons that Kenyan football administrators can draw from the meteoric rise of Iceland.

Iceland were ranked 131st in May, 2012 while Kenya was at position 129 on the same month in the Fifa ranking. The country is now at position 34, while Kenya is 129th.

The country is currently reaping the benefits of a programme that was mooted in 1990 but took off in 2000.

The cornerstones of the programme included having a stable management, improved sport’s infrastructure and strong education system for the local coaches.

The Football Association of Iceland (KSÍ) is headed by former football players who have gone through the system and understand it better.

KSI president Geir Thorsteinsson rose through the ranks of KR Reykjavík youth team before he became a referee in the country’s top flight league. He later served the club in different roles.

He has been in the seat since 2007 and has also been a key member of the FA since the early ’90s.

Klara Bjartmarz, the association’s Secretary General, was a goalkeeper at Stjarnan and Víkingur Reykjavík, later becoming their youth team coach.

Bjartmarz joined KSÍ in January 1994, and has been a key member of the FA’s staff for over two decades culminating in her appointment to her current position in August, 2015.

The two brought valuable knowledge of the game, stability and experience in management to the association. KSI is also largely made up of former football players who brought their vast experience to management of the game.

For football in Kenya to advance, we have to improve our sport’s infrastructure. Iceland have invested billions in stadiums, mini-pitches and football halls.

The nation has 30 full-size all-weather pitches, seven of which are indoors, and almost 150 smaller artificial arenas that ensure youngsters at can play football at any time of the year.

The country has 13 Uefa Pro-qualified coaches, 196 Uefa A-qualified coaches and 639 B-coaches. This has ensured that young players are handled by qualified individuals and are taught the basics of the game early enough.

Though the country was led by Swede Lars Lagerback to France, he was supported by his co-coach Heimir Hallgrimsson, an Icelandic.

The country’s top flight league may not be popular as other top European leagues but Icelandic players are introduced to first team football in their early days.

Former Chelsea and Barcelona striker Eidur Gudjonsen made his debut in the country’s top flight league at 15. The FA has also made it mandatory that all clubs in the top 2 leagues go through a licensing system where coach education for all their members of the technical bench is a requisite.

If the new Football Kenya Federation office wants to make the Qatar 2022 dream viable, they need to go the Iceland way.