Kenyans mourn Acakoro's Austrian founder
What you need to know:
- Köglberger captained the national team for the better part of his career scoring six goals in 28 outings.
- He played for and later coached Austrian top flight side Linzer Athletic Sport Klub (LASK).
- He top scored in the Austrian league in the 1968/69 and 1974/75 seasons.
Kenyan football fans are in mourning following the death of Academy of Korogocho (Acakoro) founder Helmut Köglberger.
The 72-year-old former Austrian national team captain died on Monday night after losing a long battle with a heart disorder.
Considered as one of the greatest and most charismatic football players in the history of Austrian football, Köglberger captained the national team for the better part of his career scoring six goals in 28 outings.
He played for and later coached Austrian top flight side Linzer Athletic Sport Klub (LASK).
He top scored in the Austrian league in the 1968/69 and 1974/75 seasons.
“This is an extremely sad moment for the family and Acakoro fraternity,” said Acakoro coach Rashid “Oyao” Mohammed.
He added: “His memories will forever live in our hearts. He will be remembered not only as a footballer but also as a good human being.”
Acakoro's junior teams have been making annual visits to Austria to feature in different tournaments.
Their Under-11 side shocked the world after stunning Spanish giants Barcelona in the 2015 Donauauen Cup in Austria.
The academy recently relocated to their Korogocho grounds after three years without a training ground after the National Youth Service (NYS) had evicted the team. But an order by President Uhuru Kenyatta on February 26 to have the grounds rehabilitated and handed over to the academy helped the lads return to their base.
His son, Stefan Köglberger, who has hugely been involved in the management of the academy, will continue offering his support on behalf of the family.
