Kenyan league turns to Spain’s La Liga for growth
Spanish La Liga President Javier Tebas (right) poses for photos with Kenyan Premier League chairman Ambrose Rachier at the KPL offices in Nairobi on May 9, 2017. PHOTO | COURTESY |
What you need to know:
- Select Kenyan team will get chance to play competitive match in Spain.
- KPL signs three-year partnership deal with famed European league organisation.
The Kenyan Premier League on Thursday unveiled a three-year partnership with their Spanish counterparts La Liga in Nairobi.
The deal is aimed at improving the management of the local top-flight league.
The deal will see La Liga representatives impart their expertise in league management to KPL with the view of helping them increase their revenues in the long term while improving on their professionalism.
La Liga officials are also be hoping to establish a closer working relationship with Spanish league fans in Kenya in order to expand their presence in Kenya and Africa.
No direct financial input will be made by La Liga to KPL in the course of the partnership, but the local league will benefit from annual off-season tournaments organised by the Spanish league body.
Regular visits of selected KPL players to Spain for exhibition matches will be organised together with transfer of coaching skills to club tacticians.
“We intend to share our experience with the local league management in terms of managerial expertise by ensuring that the top flight league and its clubs are managed better. It is only through good governance of the league that good revenue can be realised,” said Javier Tebas, president of La Liga during the unveiling ceremony.
He added: “We also plan to share modern methods that will help with the professional management of the Kenyan league. We shall set up match analysis centres for example, equip relevant committees with knowledge about player and health and safety and ensure coaches are updated on the developing coaching and player development techniques that we use.
“There will also be live screening of games for our fans, off-season football tournaments, and annual capacity building tours for coaches and players, and a Kenyan team will get to play in Spain regularly.”
La Liga intends to set up a development office in Kenya similar to the once in South Africa and Nigeria. La Liga’s official Oliver Dodd will be permanently based in Kenya and based at the KPL premises in Nairobi to oversee its operations.
“LaLiga’s status as the number one league in the world is not in question. La Liga has produced the most Ballon d’Or winners, the most Fifa World of the Year winners, the most Uefa Champions League winners, the most Uefa Europa League winners, and La Liga is responsible, either through selling or buying, for six of the top 10 most expensive transfers in football history,” said KPL chairman Ambrose Rachier.
