Posta Rangers head coach John Kamau pegs poor refereeing decisions on dilapidated Ruaraka pitch

FKFPL Posta Rangers head coach John Kamau pegs poor refereeing decisions on dilapidated Ruaraka pitch

Mark Kinyanjui 17:06 - 11.12.2023

Kamau believes that the dubious refereeing decisions made by referee David Mulongo, who got Robert Matano angry, were as a result of the poor playing surface.

Posta Rangers head coach John Kamau has challenged Tusker, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), and the government to improve the standards of pitches in the country, believing the odd refereeing decisions that got Robert Matano angry after the match were a result of the sorry state of the Ruaraka Grounds.

The Brewers were held to a 0-0 draw by Rangers in a game that sparked massive controversy with odd refereeing decisions by referee David Mulongo for both sides, which prompted both technical and playing staffs to get incandescent, including Robert Matano, who swore “never to forgive him” and accused him of being “bribed”.

Kamau has been dubbed the Kenyan Pep Guardiola for implementing a football style not too dissimilar to the Spanish tactician’s.

Posta have blown teams away playing slick-passing, positional football, but against Tusker, they opted to implement a counter-attacking style of play with less of the ball because the surface could not allow them to play like that.

Kamau has described football as an “emotional game”, opting not to cannibalize referee David Mulongo as he only saw those decisions in real-time.

“Football is an emotional game and I think it will be unfair just by the fact that I have seen what happened with my naked eyes to make conclusions,” Kamau said.

“At some point, as coaches, fair enough, maybe this game did not go the way you wanted or rather did not get the results that you needed but also we should be in a position to harness our emotions.

“The only request(s) that I would like to make is that one, can he (Robert Matano) be in a position to make sure we do not play a match on this ground. This is not a football pitch.

“All those commotions you are hearing is all about the pitch being bumpy, yes? Cause also, over the 90 minutes, I have my own views. The referee has his own views, but who is in charge of the game?

“My only concern with the hometeam, the federation, the government, can we get better surfaces to play football. That is when our teams and our players will develop and that is when we will see Posta Rangers creating chances.”

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Kamau insists he does not mind his players even playing their matches as early as 11 AM as long as the playing surfaces suit his players.

“I struggle right from the training pitch, yes, I do not have this luxury. I wish you could have asked me this question when I have this kind of a surface because something can be done to this pitch. We have seen it being a better pitch.

“On my side, I am having to borrow a training pitch. I am happy with the one we have at Thogoto, Kikuyu but the only concern is, if we cannot get a good playing surface, I do not even mind my team playing at 11 as long as my team will enjoy the football.”