Nairobi Star (Nairobi)
Muigai Kiguru and William Njuguna
11 June 2011
LG Cup set to go on as parties agree Harambee Stars will benefit from playing against strong Sudan
A crisis meeting between the Harambee Stars Management Board and Football Kenya Limited’s top brass over the LG Cup Africa was nearing a solution late yesterday with the parties agreeing the June 25 fixture against Sudan would be to the benefit of national team Harambee Stars.
The fixture had been thrown into question on Thursday when HSMB chairman Evans Kidero walked out of a press conference called by FKL to announce the Cup deal with the giant electronics manufacturer. This was because the board, granted custody of harambee Stars by the Ministry of Sports had been left in the dark over the arrangements for the fixture by the FKL.”We have resolved everything and we have made them (the board) realise that their role in the national team is purely financial,” said FKL vice chairman Titus Kasuve. He said negotiations are still ongoing and we will be making a final announcement next week.
The meeting was attended by Kidero, Kasuve, FKL second vice chairman Erastus Okul, FKL head of the technical committee Hussein Swaleh, FKL chief executive officer Joseph Agola and Commissioner of Sports Gordon Oluoch, who is an HSMB ex-officio member.
When contacted, Kidero said things were looking positive and the stalemate seems over with the final announcement expected early next week.
On their part the South Korean electronics giant LG noted their interest was simply to create a platform for Harambee Stars to gain from a top quality build-up match that would facilitate team preparations for forthcoming international engagements.
Speaking yesterday LG Regional marketing manager George Mudhune said their intention in hosting the tournament was to help expose talent in the country through playing a competitive match against a strong opponent.”Our intention is to expose talent and give our home based players a chance to sell themselves on the big stage,” he added.
He observed that the Kenya Premier League is growing and that corporate support was sure to join in as fans return to football grounds. “We want to support the development of football in the country and want to congratulate the Kenya Premier League for raising the bar as far as our football is concerned,” Mudhune added.
To show their commitment he said LG have embarked on an aggressive marketing exercise for the match and will provide giveaways to all fans who turn up for the match.”Those who miss out will only have themselves to blame when they see what those who attended will have received,” Mudhune said.
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Kenya: Solution At Hand