Respected tactician Beldine Odemba lauds Bottom Up U19 Tournament

Remember Coach Beldine Odemba? The female coach who guided Kenya's Highway Secondary School to the finals of the 2022 Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Association (FEASSSA) Games in Tanzania earlier in September this year? That one.

The CAF B license holder has welcomed the move by President William Samoei Ruto's administration to launch a nationwide U19 football tournament across all 47 counties.

On Jamhuri Day, the president pronounced that plans were underway to have the tournament in place as one of the measures the government is taking to ensure that Kenya is a football powerhouse as well as to ensure Harambee Stars qualifies for the 2030 World Cup.

Here comes the Bottom Up U19 Tournament, championed by Dr Ruto

Speaking during an FKF Instructors Refresher Workshop on Wednesday, the former Harambee Starlets team Manager welcomed the move by the government, saying that it will go a long way in creating a pool of talented players not only for the national teams to select from but also for scouts from clubs in different countries.

"It is good that we are going to have youth tournaments from the grassroots level. It will go a long way to help us create good national teams at the youth level and for the senior team as well in the future. We will have a hub of players going by the fact that it will start from the ward level all the way up. Teams playing in the various leagues can get good players as well, the national team also, together with scouts if we can engage them. I believe we have a lot of potential it is just that we do not get the stage to show it," she said.

Apart from being a CAF B license holder, Odemba is an FKF/ FIFA Coaching Instructor and has prior coaching experience having handled Kariobangi Sharks Youth team.

She remains thankful to the head of state for highlighting the need to revamp football in the country, showering plaudits on the contribution by the Cabinet Secretary for Sports Ababu Namwamba.

"I really want to thank the president, it has been long since we heard someone talk about sports during a national celebration. we are grateful he talked about football in particular. He is being advised well by the CS who is so much into football," he added.