Update 2: Raila in the mix
The PM has announced that he successfully pushed for Mariga's case but unfortunately he secured the work permit after the transfer deadline. If that is true then Mariga can join an English Premier League club in the next transfer window this summer. But with a four-year deal at San Siro under the tutelage of the special one, Mariga may have bagged more than he prayed for.
Raila stated he spent more than 200 minutes on phone talking to UK PM Gordon Brown's office, the Africa Office, office of Culture and Sports, the Home office, the FA president Lord Treisman and to Mariga himself. Was he trying to rig or just doing what he had to do? Well, out there rules are rules and they are bent for nobody no matter your social standing.
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Update 1
And Mariga has landed at Inter Milan in the capable hands of the special one, Jose Mourinho. Just when the English Premier League thought they have done him in by denying him work permit to play for Manchester City, Mariga has landed even a bigger trophy guaranteeing him Champions League in two weeks time. Now being Eto's teammate must be living the dream. Well, fate and fortune only smiles on the face of the deserving. Go Mariga go, you have hit the ceiling of Kenyan football history.
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Kenya's McDonald Mariga has been denied work permit to play for Manchester City in the Premier League. While Mariga passed FA's criteria for appearing in 75% of internationals in the last two years (with his 24 caps for Kenya), his work permit application was rejected because Kenya is ranked 98th in Fifa's world rankings, outside the top 70 nations.
Manchester City's management have failed in their appeal to have the verdict overturned about the 22-year-old. The Kenyan press must have celebrated too early even before the goal hit the net. Now you can imagine the family's heartache after such irresponsible exposure.
Granted rules are rules and unlike us, civilized nations live by them and won't bent them no matter what. But the whole decision leaves a very sour taste in one's mouth. It is the individual who plays and not the country. Mariga's fate is akin to being erroneously declared incompetent by association and birth not his capabilities.
This is such a sad fate for the Kenya's would-be record breaker in the world of football. But take heart young Mariga, your star has been recognized and no bushel will succeed in dimming it. At 22, it is only a matter of when and not if you live your dream, North West or elsewhere.
Haki yetu this is appropriate time to go to streets and not elections are disputed.
ReplyDeleteServes him right. Never count your eggs before they are hatched. Very typical of kenyans talking big before the deal is done. He should learn to be more humble. Thats how things work out there. You do not call all radio stations proclaiming a deal that does not depend solely on you.
ReplyDeleteThis should serve as a lesson to other aspiring kenyans too. Some of these things you keep to your chest.
ojinga
The Kenyan press has done this fella a great disservice. And I'm not talking about counting his chicks before his eggs hatch.
ReplyDeleteOver the weekend, the press did a story highlighting the superstars family in Kenya and their impending move to the leafy suburbs. They talked of a fabulous house in Lavington and the ensuing financial glory blessed upon Mariga and his family. They even went as far as posting the mothers' picture for all to see. As a matter of fact, they went ahead to provide the exact directions to the mothers business location in Kariakor. In very vivid details I must add.
They later talked about the approximately 1 Billion Kshs deal about to be signed.
What's the point of giving all these details to Kenya's infamous kidnappers and those involved in all sorts of crimes?
I wonder the type of sleepless nights the mother will be having going forward.
That was irresponsible reporting at best. In a country like Kenya where insecurity is our badge of dishonor, journalists must be very careful not to give away details that may result in the successful commission of an impending crime.
King Charles,
ReplyDeleteVery true the media inadvertently set the Mariga family up. And the poor lady didn't disappoint by playing along with details. She must be a marked mother.
The DN first gleened the story from the Gurdian webpage and did it plenty of injustice to owwn it even if Mariga ni wetu. The guy is a start but he needs a media manager if he is to avoid such gaffes.
Most people watch the "beautiful game" on the pitch and imagine all is rosy. Far from it.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone wants a glimpse of corruption and racism in world of football that might make one not watch or at least lose interest in in the game, this is a nice starting point:
Africa, Football and FIFA: Politics, Colonialism and Resistance by Paul Darby.
Taabu,
ReplyDeletehata kama nyinyi ni institution mta tembea peke yenu!
Hapa mmeteleze sana-the beginning of the end for MANC?
Luka,
ReplyDeleteKwenda and stop mistaking a spoilt brat for a boxer. We only share a city and NW, end of story. The NOISY neighbours will not joing the club soon. Ask Mark Hughes.
To give due credit to Man Siate, they tried and appealed very forcefully for Mariga but failed.
Breaking News: The £7m meant for Parma/Mariga has gone to Boro/Adama Johnson. Mark you Boro is languishing in mid table of the Championship. But Adam is English, you know. Speak of the curse of being .......
I,too, celebrated Mariga's success! I still celebrate the fact that a young Kenyan was chosen to play for a high flying English side! What a pity that the "sour mouthed" culture still finds its way here with the cyber-barbarians making foul remarks about this setback. Kumekucha, you must find ways to enforce some rules of civility here. Mariga never celebrated, does not deserve the barbaric remarks some of us never seem able to avoid making!!
ReplyDeleteMariga's current footballing future has met a stumbling block that is as a result of incessant wrangles (FKL,KFF,etc) and poor footballing standards (Hey wa Raila, Twahir etc etc).
ReplyDeleteWhen Kimanzi was the coach Kenya was position 71. Raila brought in Hey and now we are at position 98 and Mariga cannot play in EPL.
Thats just fucked up and it sucks that the people who are meant to run football in Kenya are ruining it.
Crossing my fingers that Mariga goes to Inter.
Mariga now plays for Inter Milan!!!! Yes, the 1 billion Ksh deal stands.
ReplyDeletemariga sucks! i not surprised the deal failed.
ReplyDeletePM should be held responsible for Kenya's rankings. The stupid fool interefered with football, employing all those dodgy foreigners under some shady, untransparent deals. PM should be held to account for this!
ReplyDeleteHe now plays for Inter Milan, THE ITALIAN CHAMPIONS for the past 3 seasons and coached by the Special One. The English men can shove their EPL up their A**.... Go get them Mariga!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteBut on a more positive note, those who run Kenyan football, just like those who run the government need to be LYNCHED!!!
@Ken My boss who is Germany told me the reason why so many things go wrong is because citizens do care. We love peace and harmony (Amani) which is not a recipe to growth. IDP money are misappropriated and Kenyans just watch,our kids education money stolen we keep mum,He said in Germany if you steal Anti-retrovirus money a thousand people people will be dying to inject you and you family with HIV.
ReplyDeletePtor
sorry meant don't care.
ReplyDeleteptor
These English hooligans should have gone ahead and signed our Macdonald Mariga. They should have borrowed a leaf from Kibaki and signed him at night by all means even if their local goons rip out the railways. Can't they see his name "Macdonald" is more British than Rooney? By the way doesn't "Mac" mean 'son of' in Wazungu land? Hope Mariga's dad is then called Donald!
ReplyDeleteM Pesa
Nbi Kenya.
or is it MacPesa?
Swali:
ReplyDeleteWhat if young MacDonald changed nationality, being from a failed state called Kenya to let's say, Portugal? Our Kaleo marathoners do it without batting an eyelid and even switch their names to some long Islamic ones which they can't even write or pronounce. Go on Mariga! Kuwa mjanja and you may end up in the Theatre of Dreams!
madiba, matiba , mariga..agwambo wachana na mupira football tafadhali stick to ODm
ReplyDeleteKenyans, do lose heart, we still have Martin Waikwa Olsson, a Kenyan of Kikuyu descent who is currently play in English Premier League club Black Burn Rovers
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Olsson
Kumekucha priness,
ReplyDeleteYou must be mistaken-kiuks do not play football-this guy must be from western as u can can see from letter O for his last name.
Any how this PSC draft is a flop as we shall show in the referendum
So long
Anon 3:41 AM
ReplyDeleteSurprise surprise, even Kikuyus can play.
Martin Waikwa Olsson,Blackburn Rovers left back/left winger is a son of a Kikuyu mother (Wairimu Waikwa)and Swedish father (Olsson)
Chelsea's John Terry is about to lose his captaincy and sponsorship deals after it was discovered he had a mpango wa kando. He had an extra-marital affair with the girlfriend of his former teammate and best mate Wayne Bridge.
ReplyDeleteWanaume ni wa Pumbaff!
Doesnt that mean that Mr. Olsson Jr is therefore a Swede not a Kikuyu, according to African culture and customs?
ReplyDeleteKFF - KPL - K-Whatever
ReplyDeleteJust shows how u can spoil for someone when u trying to steal here and there.
Who would have known? No one.
kenya somali named abdisalam plays for man-city dig that.
ReplyDeleteHe's a swede of kenyam descent
ReplyDeleteI blame Raira for the problems within KFF. Since he took over, Kenya football has gone downhill. bure kabisa!!
ReplyDelete@ anon 6.43 am
ReplyDeleteCorrection, not all African customs are similar, and the African part of him happens to be kikuyu
According to kikuyu custom a child belongs to the mother, if a couple breaks up the mother can live with all her children.
He is most probably a swede of kenyan descent just the same way Obama is an american of kenyan descent.
On the mariga issue its a oity he didnt make it to man C and nobody should condemn him for celebrating too early he has earned it!!!
Raila was literally counting minutes ..1,2,3,4,5....200.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cheap media gimmick for this expired molasses!!
anon 6:14pm-Obama is a luo from kogelo, it is only that his dad was generous and waist athletic like zuma, rao“s pal.
ReplyDeleteThe two Kikuyu (swedish) footballers are on facebook here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Martin-and-Marcus-Waikwa-Olsson/94300079012#!/pages/Martin-and-Marcus-Waikwa-Olsson/94300079012?v=info
A Kenyan Somali who plays for Man City:
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdisalam_Ibrahim