Dennis Oliech, a former captain of the Harambee Stars, has identified the key flaws within Kenyan football academies that prevent them from producing world-class talents. Drawing from his extensive experience playing in Europe, Oliech explained how the structure and training methods in Kenyan academies fall short when compared to their European counterparts.
Oliech, who had a successful nine-year career in France with clubs like Nantes, Auxerre, and Ajaccio, noted that his first experience in European football was a major eye-opener. One of the most significant differences he observed was how training sessions were conducted in Europe. Unlike the traditional methods used in Kenya, where full 11-a-side games are the norm, European academies emphasize smaller-sided games, typically with seven, eight, or nine players on each side. Oliech explained that this approach allows every player to touch the ball more frequently, improving their individual skills and overall understanding of the game.
“In Europe, there is no 11-aside training,” Oliech said. “They play seven, eight, or nine-aside because with 11-aside, players will get tired. They do it to make the pitch smaller so that everyone gets the ball.” This method, he pointed out, is especially beneficial in developing ball control and passing skills, as every player has to be more involved in the game. In contrast, an 11-aside match on a large pitch can lead to some players spending extended periods without touching the ball, which is detrimental to their development.
Oliech also highlighted the emphasis on the basics of football in European academies, such as ball control, passing, and juggling. He observed that these fundamental skills are often neglected in Kenyan academies, where the focus is sometimes more on entertainment or the business side of things rather than the development of young players. “At least in Kenya now we have many academies, but the problem is that they are in it for the money,” Oliech explained. The desire for profit leads to a situation where players are not properly trained in the basics, and instead, there is pressure to deliver quick results that appeal to parents who want to see their children play.
Oliech’s concern is that many young players in Kenyan academies are not given the opportunity to learn and master these essential skills. “When you bring a kid and start teaching them passing, they feel like they have not played,” Oliech said. “They go and tell their parents that they did not enjoy it, not knowing that where he is going, that is the system.” The emphasis on fun and entertainment often overrides the importance of developing solid technical skills, which ultimately hinders a player’s growth.
This lack of foundational skills becomes apparent as the players grow older. They may become comfortable with their style of play, but their inability to control or pass the ball efficiently prevents them from reaching their full potential. Oliech himself had to learn these skills when he moved to France, where controlling the ball was a challenge for him in the beginning. “It affected even me when I went to Nantes, controlling the ball was a problem and I had to start afresh,” he admitted. This personal experience taught him the value of mastering the basics from an early age.
To improve the situation in Kenya, Oliech advocates for a shift in focus within the country’s football academies. He believes that passing and ball control should be taught every day until they are perfected. However, the culture surrounding Kenyan academies needs to change. Parents need to understand the value of these technical drills, even if their children may initially find them less enjoyable. Oliech stresses that without this shift in mindset, Kenyan academies will continue to struggle to produce well-rounded and technically gifted players capable of competing on the international stage.
In conclusion, Oliech’s reflections on the current state of Kenyan football academies serve as a call to action for a more structured, skill-focused approach to player development. If the system is to improve, it will require a long-term commitment to teaching the fundamentals, as well as a change in both the attitudes of players and the priorities of the academies themselves.
