Former Harambee Stars goalkeeper compares Kenyan football back in the 90s to now
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Reading Time: 3min | Sat. 20.12.25. | 18:03
Comparing football then and now, the former shot-stopper pointed out that the game has become more professional in almost every aspect
Former Harambee Stars goalkeeper Matthew Owino Ottamax has reflected on how Kenyan football has evolved over the years, noting the major improvements in infrastructure, training, and financial support that were unavailable during his playing days.
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Now 60 years old, Ottamax still cuts a youthful figure and says his lifestyle has played a big role in how well he has aged.
“I am fit, I feel fit. Naturally, I watch what I eat, how I behave, and that’s it. I am always happy despite everything that happens in life,” he said.
Comparing football then and now, the former shot-stopper pointed out that the game has become more professional in almost every aspect.
“Financially, things are better. Infrastructure, too, has improved. Today, we have better pitches compared to our days, where we had uneven grounds, and we had to travel a lot to find good grounds. There was not as much money as there is now,” Ottamax explained.
He also highlighted the changes in goalkeeper training and equipment, saying modern players benefit from scientific approaches that were unavailable in his era.
“Today, we have scientifically trained goalkeeper trainers. Things have changed. We are using different types of balls. Back then, we had very heavy balls. I played when keepers could handle back passes with their hands,” he said.
Ottamax recalled one of the most unusual moments of his career, when he played a continental match without gloves.
“There is a continental match I played without gloves. It was actually AFC Leopards versus KCC in Kampala. Not that I did not have gloves.
My partner, the other goalkeeper, used my gloves and forgot them on the pitch, so they got lost. We realised that when I was just entering the pitch,” he recounted.
Despite enjoying a successful career, the former keeper believes he could have reached even greater heights with better guidance and exposure.
“I believe I was good and could have played anywhere in the world. I lacked proper guidance, and the exposure was not as much. We were just playing to please our fans and just for fun,” he said.
Widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers to grace Kenyan football, Ottamax was known for his quick reflexes, commanding presence, and ability to organise his defence. His memorable saves during his prime remain etched in the minds of many local football fans.
He joined AFC Leopards in 1998, where he won the league title and the CECAFA Cup. A year later, he crossed over to Uganda to join regional giants SC Villa, spending two years at the club.
In mid-2008, he made a brief return to AFC Leopards, then playing in the nationwide league, although he did not get any game time.
On the international stage, Ottamax earned his first Harambee Stars call-up in 1993 and featured in an invitational tournament in Libya.
He later became Kenya’s first-choice goalkeeper during the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, playing both legs against Algeria’s Desert Foxes in Nairobi and Algiers.
His outstanding performance in Algiers was instrumental in helping Kenya progress to the next round of the qualifiers.
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