Have you ever asked yourself why Kenyan footballers are very secretive when it comes to sharing financial details regarding salaries and allowances paid to them?
This is one question most followers of football must be asking themselves even as the rest of the world (English Premier League and other major leagues) throw around financial details regarding players’ transfers and salaries without blinking.
Why are Kenyan footballers and their clubs behaving differently?
A source in the Kenyan football administration told Mwanahabari that Kenyans will not be finding out this information anytime soon – unless rules are made to compel football clubs to disclose financial details around wage bill and individual amounts being paid to players and even the coach.
As it is, there are no signs this will be happening anytime soon – which is why football lovers must get used to not knowing players’ salaries. It’s none of their business.
Talk from the grapevine – however – indicates that most players would rather have their salaries remain a secret because most of them live in insecure estates where thugs are an endless eyesore.
They fear criminals
“These players lead normal lives in the estates which they shares with fans and even criminals. It would pose a lot of danger to the players if criminals get to find out how much they are paid,” a Sports journalist told Mwanahabari.co.ke.
“I am a seasoned journalist, but I have no idea how much some of these players earn. Most of us rely on rumours. At the same time, it appears to be a culture in our football. No generation has ever revealed its salary,” said the journalist.
In a past interview, Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier denied claims that clubs were to blame for not sharing financial details in players’ contracts.
Rachier noted at the time that most players often ask clubs to not disclose financial details in their contracts.
“When we don’t release those details, it’s always at the request of the players who for one reason or another, don’t want the figures to be made public,” Rachier said in a previous interview.
Demanding relatives
“One outstanding issue is the fact that ours is a very connected society where relatives often become part of your responsibility. It gets worse if these relatives get to know how much you take home. They will be waiting for you every end of the month to seek favors when you too have bills to pay. If you say no, they will remind you and the entire world that they know how much you are paid,” a retired coach told Mwanahabari.co.ke.
Adding: “The truth is that most of these players you see here are not paid much. That is why you find them living in low-cadre estates. if they had money, they would definitely cross Uhuru Highway and go live along Ngong Road, Kileleshwa or just build their own houses.”
“There is also the issue of superstition since most of our footballers come from Western parts of the country where people tend to believe in witchcraft.Some of thee players fear they might be bewitched if people find out how much they are making in Nairobi,” concluded the former coach.