Two female coaches on the touchline as FKF Premier League returns
Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 22.11.24. | 09:11
After Jackline Juma, Odemba will take her place on the Dandora Stadium touchline. a historic moment for towering women coaches in the Premier League
The FKF Premier League will make its return for the final stretch of the year on Friday 22 November, with a double-header lined up at Dandora Stadium from lunchtime.
In the first match - kicking off at 1300 EAT - league-leaders KCB FC will take on FC Talanta, while Kenya Police - who have engaged in covert business decisions over the last days of the international break - face Kariobangi Sharks at 1600 EAT.
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
That was the immediate post by KCB FC on social media, following their first defeat of the season on Sunday 3 November.
With all the eyebrows raised after an unbeaten start to their campaign, Patrick Odhiambo’s 1-0 loss to Mathare United meant that their perceived vulnerability was misguided.
The greatest glory in living, lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. - Nelson Mandela
— KCB Football Club (@KCBFootball) November 4, 2024
Stay motivated throughout the week fam.#MotivationMonday pic.twitter.com/6y4Kr12zyJ
After a few friendly games over the international break - wins over Tusker and 82 Sports Combined - the team at the summit will hope to further complicate matters for Jackline Juma’s side, as they are winless in their last five, and with only one win so far this season.
A win for KCB could mean that they remain on top over the weekend, but Talanta, just a point above bottom-placed Posta, could be a tricky opponent seeking to climb into the mid-table.
The late kickoff could see Juma quickly followed by another woman making a rapid rise in coaching, as Beldine Odemba looks set to lead Kenya Police against third-placed Sharks as interim manager.
FKF PL Friday Fixtures
— Onditi (@dishon_onditi) November 22, 2024
KCB will host FC Talanta at 1 PM at Dandora Stadium, followed by K Sharks vs Police at 4 PM at the same venue.
Notably, two female coaches will be on the touchline: Jackie Juma will lead FC Talanta, while Beldin Odemba will guide Police FC.#FootballKE pic.twitter.com/M43QUhDyst
This comes after Mozzart Sport reported that Police, who are 15th with just one win in five matches, took the step to dismiss their entire technical bench in their latest managerial carousel.
The dismissals, which have been attributed to the “team struggles domestically” leave Odemba, also the coach of women’s premier league side Kenya Police Bullets, with the task of seeing off a Sharks team that is winless in their last four matches.
Matchday is here#WeAreSharks pic.twitter.com/Zz4Gg4cxvm
— Kariobangi Sharks FC (@k_sharksfc) November 22, 2024
A decent start to William Muluya’s young side has seemingly hit a roadblock in the last weeks, and things look worse for them with lengthy spells out for the dependable duo of Ally Salum and Keith Imbali.
The two - with MCL sprain and avulsion fracture respectively - have both been sidelined for six weeks and Police, who registered their first loss of the season last time out against Shabana, could be licking their chops as they look to steer away from the relegation zone.
