 We are still on air until 3 o'clock. Touchline is the show this particular afternoon. My name is Maxwell Wasike. Of course, it's a show that discusses a variety of sporting activities. Not everyone is left behind and this time round we're discussing football. We've focused what happened in midweek. The qualifier between Kenya and Egypt for 2021 African Cup of Nations slated for Cameroon next year. Kenya, of course, failing to qualify for the second time running after, you know, the Egyptian show in 2019 where they were bundled out at the group stage. Steve Ayo is a reputable man when it comes to matters football analysis and, of course, he's joining us. Steve, it's been a minute man. Where have you been? You see during this COVID-19 times and you have a friend who you're not in touch with. You can get scared. We'll just use the common expression, quote, koi town. Somewhere along the way you'll always find us. We are doing well, just dealing with the new normal and trying to keep healthy every single day. It's difficult but we have to do our own. How are things outside there now that sports has been suspended for some of us who are passionate about these things, especially during weekend in the afternoon catching up a local game. Now nothing to resort to. It's quite unfortunate. I feel like the government, whenever there are issues, especially pertaining to restrictions as far as COVID is concerned, maybe the first thing they look at is sports. Remember, they've not been allowing fans to go to the stadium for quite some time now. So we thought that's like a good measure, like a containment measure, at least limit the number of crowds which even pre-COVID we didn't even have so many fans going into the stadium. So we thought that's good enough. We accepted it. We were trying to find ways in which you can just watch the game at home. But now suddenly they're telling us now sports again, it's all locked down. And you can imagine how many lives have been affected right now. So it's really sad. I mean, I was just doing a rough calculation. You're taking over 18 teams in the Kenyan Premier League. You're taking over like another 20 in the National Super League. If you multiply by roughly just 25 players, that's like at least 1,000 families affected. And that's just players really. And you see the problem with our landlords, they wouldn't care that because you are a sportsman and sporting activities were cancelled, you have no source of income. So if you tell them that you don't have rent to pay, they wouldn't understand. They can't. And remember when the landlords really, they are part of the high and the mighty, they'll just collect rent. It's just like a whole system that starts right from the top trickling down. It's really unfortunate. It's sad. But what to do, man? It's the government. If they say this is the way to go. We have to oblige. You have issues here. Our senior Elias Makori wrote something this particular morning in Daily Nation and is telling the government to rethink about their decision to suspend sporting activities in the country. I don't know because from where he sits, he says just like you saying that, no funds were being allowed into the sporting venues. Most of the events were happening behind closed doors. So I think the measures that have been put in place for resumption of sporting activities ought to have been continued getting applied as we continue with... Yeah, remember one of the things that happened before we resumed the game, was that all the players in all the clubs went through the COVID test. Then I mean right now we have the vaccine. The priority has been given to the essential workers like frontline workers in healthcare, teachers and all that. But I was thinking why didn't they just roll out the vaccine because I'm sure that there's enough dosage out there just for the athletes basically to basically just prevent them or question them from getting the disease. That might have been a way to look at it. But like we said, sports really, I think the government normally used this strong whip. So I mean you just have to look at our leaders. CS Amina and all the stakeholders within the sports industry, they are a total let down. We may not blame the president himself because he gets advice from low down. But now if you are talking of the CS, who is like I think she's one of the president's favoriters. So if she can't really just go to him and say there are livelihoods that will be affected in a big, big way, can we find an alternative? You know it suddenly just happens like the axe just falls on you like you don't even have time to think, you don't have time to plan. I think this weekend there was supposed to be some NSL matches. I'm thinking there are some players that already travel to places like Mombasa. So suddenly we're being told you're not going to play this match. And remember for you to live, let's say even a place like Kisum all the way to Mombasa and for accommodation and all that. We're going to use something in the region like 250,000 to 500,000 shillings. So that's money going down the drain. So it's really sad. Quite an unfortunate scenario there. So let's talk about what happened in midweek Kenya against Egypt. We've seen how Kenya has been glorified to have played a beautiful game against Egypt that this is the best we've seen from Kenyan team. I don't know from where you sit objectively speaking. What do you think about the Arambia stars even as they prepare looking homes against Togo in Lome on Monday? When I came in, I had you castigate Osoro saying that his glorifying mediocrity which for me you nailed it. That's the thing. We always have a team of nearly there. We look at positives in things that should actually be taking in completion. I think this was the easiest we've ever gotten an opportunity to go to Afgan. Togo, their glory days are pretty much done. The time of Adebayo we used to be such a big personality in there. He used to really psych up his fellow players push them forward and all that big personality. So the team was actually built around Adebayo and they were performing well. That was the Togo of maybe 3, 4, 5 years. The Togo we have right now is honestly like a useless team to an extent. They got beat by Komoros, I think. Was it Homanda Way or something? Actually they drew at home, they got beat away. Komoros, this is the first time actually they've qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations. We've seen the last couple of editions. There's always that story of Ananda Togo upsets the rest. I think maybe Kenya we just need to lower expectations. See ourselves as underdogs. We don't rely on history. It's gone, we are terrible. We need to do a lot of things. Religious to bring our game back to a level that we can enjoy because even that much I think Egypt also knew that when they were going to that much they knew the result that had already happened between Togo and Komoros. They were like, we are going to take it easy. We are not going to push ourselves to the very edge up to the wall to ensure that we get a victory here. As a live up pulman, you see someone who was condemning more Sala that he played a horrible game and there was a reply that you know Sala first of all he was just being easy and casual because he knew they had already qualified. Secondly he was trying to avoid getting covid and trying to avoid exposure to Kenyan players. There is this narrative that Kenya is a hotbed of this monster and considering that they knew that it was sort of a formality for them regardless of the outcome. Yeah exactly, for them it was a dead rubber. They didn't have to really push themselves. It's a must win for them. It wasn't that case. I remember even the goal that they scored even before he could touch the ball Sala was like super involved. It was a very nice flick. It was a second assist for him. So I think Eric Ouma who was marking him at that point in time was like ok I am going to have a bad day in the office because it was just one moment of brilliance which we normally see a lot from Sala when he is playing for live up pul. But we have to give credit also to Marcelo. He was man of the match right? He was man of the match and it wasn't just about him defending Sala it was about the kind of input that he was putting forward. He was really bombarding down that left channel sending some very dangerous courses into the box. So you have to give the young lad some credit in terms of how he dealt with the game how he dealt with the player in itself because remember when you are playing against somebody like Sala you don't just have to be a normal player you have to be some sort of a beast because Sala is in that level of being a beast but I think Marcelo handled him well and obviously you have to give credit also to Daniel Sakari on the other side I mean our full backs You think in Sakari now we have a permanent right back because that has been Kenyan problem over the years getting a person who plays in that position the way the boy did. I remember we tried with Filet Monotiano he had made that position his own until obviously he got that injury was it during Afghan? I thought that the fact that we were using Samuel Oluwande was just like a stop gap measure and he feel like that's a future really but in Daniel Sakari just 22 years old he still has that hangai name he still has age really on his side I felt like he gave us all the good side and remember this is a player who just two seasons ago he was at Kakamewaka homeboys playing his football there having just graduated from school so for him I think the progress is really there and the good thing also with him is quite fit one thing I know my life about Karibang Shaks players that they are super fit they can run out of the pitch if you give them that opportunity yes that fitness which is something that also Marcelo brings on the other side they have the good process on their feet they have the defensive mind on themselves as well but they also have that fitness because you need to be running down that left channel or right channel which is like the modern day fullback so I felt like he did himself a world of good in that game Michael engineer Oluwande it was bad day for him bad day in the office so to capitalise on the available chances is it because of those who are playing behind him not feeding him no he got fed I don't think he will complain whatsoever about not getting chances he got them he got crosses into the box he had a shot that was put on his left feet but he was overthinking as far as getting that shot on goal was concerned then defend obviously got him and got rid of the ball put it out for a corner but in terms of service I think he was quite service it was just not a good day in the office for him and I mean we can't castigate him he was resourceful to the team 18 goals in 40 appearance 40-41 that's like a goal every 3 games which is not a bad return and remember we've also been quite struggling with the player who would look at him and be like do we really have somebody who can put in the work the way Denny Soliat used to so longer you know this partnership with Masud did it work um I don't think it did because Masud was doing a lot of defensive work we've never seen him playing down yes he was sort of playing from it was a strength selection I mean when I looked at that lineup I thought we were going 4-4-4-2 but we still did a 4-3-3 with Masud maybe they are playing under the instructions of the coach obviously I mean he sets up the team so he must have seen something in training he must have tried it in training before implementing it but you know the only contribution I saw from Masud was this you know basically racing back and denying somebody an opportunity on the left flank I saw that that's like the moment that I saw Masud in the game so in terms of support I don't think got a lot of support from Masud but you can't blame Masud as well it's the instructions that came from the technical bench so the team I know is travelling today this particular afternoon play the last qualifier game against the West African what are the chances should they live on a high despite the fact that they have already been eliminated I mean if there is a game you have to play at the end of the day you don't travel all that distance use all your resources to go and lose a match you have to be professional at the end of the day unless obviously you want to fix the match then you can go and do your own things over there so that means they have to go in there they have to put in the hard yards they have to basically just play as a team because remember that these national caps they don't come so often so if you are given one remember there are so many players who want to be given that opportunity take it give it your all get a result and look forward to the next one but I think the team will be quite changed I feel like Agost Mule will make a couple of changes we have pushed by injury remember Kenet Mubuna has not travelled Anthony Akumu also has not travelled I think he has a family issue John Stonomuru has got his ride card so he will be watching the game from home if he can get the link to stream the game so there will be a couple of changes so it will be interesting to see what kind of lineup that Agost Mule comes out with just like you said hope has been the word revolving around the national team should we build on that hope following what look like a good game for Kenyan boys ahead of World Cup qualifiers the other thing we have to ask ourselves is why that good or why Egypt that terrible I tend to go with the latter I thought Egypt after scoring that goal they just decided we are not going to play anymore they were quite terrible the whole time if this was a do or die match I feel like the older played better I feel like even El Neni would have been putting the game basically just to show up the midfielder bit the intelligence he has that experience he has that understanding with a lot of players who play in there but I mean I'm not taking credit from our team I think that's the best game especially second half we played in our home ground against such a big team I feel like that's the best game we played quite some time now so like I've said they just have to go to Lome and ensure that they get a result out of it it's a dead rubber match won't help us qualify but maybe it will remember that even Gos Mule he hasn't had like enough time with this team he's just been playing friendly in there but yeah let's see what happens in Lome Chances ahead of Qatar 2022 World Cup the group again looks manageable at least the preliminary group I think we have Uganda Rwanda and Mali so you're looking at that team then you're feeling Mali and not like in good shape I think just like Togo there are good days that are kind of behind them you remember the time of Bakayoko the Kulibales and all that I think they used to play really some good entertaining football I think they even reached the semi-final or even the final of Africa Cup of Nations so there are glory days the veterans are behind them right now I feel like they are also rebuilding so they are beatable but we are our neighbors remember what we did to them we denied them qualification to and there has been fierce rival between the two countries it's always about a great mission yeah it's going to be a good match hopefully by the time we play them they'll be fans allowed into the stadium because that actually plays a big role Rwanda will be the underdogs in there but I also feel like we'll be underdogs Uganda will be looking at us and looking at Rwanda as well and saying these are teams that we should be able to beat but that's one thing also we need to do at home man we've not been translating that home advantage into results where we are drawing too much unless it's a friendly against South Sudan at Tanzania who are behind us really some steps behind us we've been getting too many views at home as we head to the conclusion part of the qualifiers I don't know what has been your pick up point in terms of the matches that have been played ahead of a continental football in Cameroon next year what has captured your moment I think I have to say the ability that the local best players have shown for me that has been such a big thing some of these players are just winning their first caps and they've taken it in their strides I'm looking at somebody like Abdullah Hassan he's always shown that potential I felt like it didn't really that was not his best game for the goal that was not his best game I thought it was quite wasteful in that game we tried dribbling things were not just working well but he got the goal I think it's his fourth goal fifth goal in 11 appearances so he's calling a goal every other game which is such a good return especially for someone who is playing down the channels but not just him we saw what Danso and Chetambe did we saw what Masembe did basically the application and the ability and the talent and the hunger and the drive that most of these local players have shown I think is just something that has been quite encouraging so we need to look at chan as well maybe world cup qualifiers maybe so difficult really because you know you know so after the impressive performance by the local youngsters Jacob goes to me laying dilemma because in the event that those foreign best players who didn't link up with the team travel of course there is that aspect of jailing youth and experience blending part of it which is what we need to do because we need to do we need to do we need to do experience blending part of it which might work or fail to work for the team but now that you know these pool of players are available all of them will coach be in a situation of dilemma in terms of his selection I don't think so because I'm looking at the players who are left out obviously the biggest one was Victor Wanyama the captain for quite some time now I'm looking at the midfield right now I think we are quite good in Johanna even him I don't feel he'll offer much much more than what say Lawrence Juma offers in the team right now or even Kenneth Muguna who I think is the best midfielder we have in the country and probably even in the region obviously with the Lawrence Juma I think for him is growing strength by strength he just keeps getting better like all do I know and also now Akumu we saw the kind of application that he brought into the team until obviously was cold off so I feel like the central midfield position we are talking about 8, 10, 6 yeah it's taken care of whether you want to use a double 6 double pivot you have your two number 6 then you have your number 10 I feel like that's taken care of whether you want to go the traditional way you have a holding midfield so people like Eric Johanna will have to fight for their places in the team it's not a guarantee but the thing with him is performing Eric Johanna he is bringing in the assists in his team abroad with Johanna Umolo I feel he is moving to clubs too many times so he is not settling well so that's affecting his game also and his understanding with the kind of players that he is playing with same can go with Ayub Timber also the other thing with Ayub is injuries he is quite injury prone he is mostly on the treatment table so that's working against him maybe he is looking at his younger brother Musa Masika probably will take up his role yeah I feel like there is a lot of talent really in the Kenyan team I don't know why we are not getting the results so last year when sporting activities were suspended by the president and the league was equally suspended by FKF president Nick Mwenba then the current league table topers were given the mantle to have one the league that is Gorma this time round can we we can ask now we will be crowned champions in the event that the situation escalates and the surge in numbers continues oh that's a good question I haven't thought of it we just have been waiting we have to look into the future things happening a few games have been played so far a few is a bit of an understatement they are almost into the second leg into the second leg of the season but remember also you don't have a huge window as far as how many games are left to play in such a short time the league I think was supposed to end by around July but now we are going to lose at least a month of football so the calendar is going to be ever so tight remember we have been playing with quite a tight calendar there are games in midweek and there are games on weekend so players there is a lot of games happening obviously there is a lot of fatigue also that's getting into the players but to answer that question in case the league doesn't reach the crescendo I don't feel I'm just wondering you don't think Taska deserves to be given the title the one thing that caught me is when it was happening in England and my Liverpool was in such a prime position to be declared champions there's no way we should not get that title because we deserve it so I'm thinking though with Taska I feel like the number of games that have been played are not enough I feel like it's not enough we are barely half into the season we played I think around 15 to 17 matches they haven't checked yet but I feel the season is still young we should not just give it out like that we can still restart but hopefully we don't have to go that direction let's just hope that what the government has said if you follow it obviously the vaccine is right here now at least to help us contain the infections and all that let's hope by the time we will have the next address next month the numbers will have dropped down significantly we will be back on the table definitely of course we can't finish a discussion on local Premier League football without touching on international so we have since later 9 years old making a comeback for Sweden he assisted one nil win against Georgia this man is not getting title he has goals in him that is what happens when you have goals goals to him just comes naturally but can you attribute this to these countries failing to put up proper structures that would lead to no replacement of the aging players there is no continuity to an extent because him getting recalled means there are no options during the previous world cup I think Sweden did quite well they went past the group stages it was quite a tough group most of their games were either one-one draws or nil nil slim defeat or very low scoring so as far as the defence is concerned I felt like they were quite compact they were not conceding much but they were not scoring on the other end that's why they couldn't go beyond and in Zlatan Ibrahimovic he is a player who is delivered in Ajax in the French League in the Italian League obviously in the Syria so he always has goals in him so him getting back there it was not a case of him trying to find the goals they were in him he just needs to get one or two chances and the good thing with him he has that confidence in arrogance in front of goals and his personality itself just attracts those balls to him so scoring for him is quite natural very few players like him before you leave the show I know you are a die hard Liverpool man but the noisy Gregorimulemi and another noise maker in the likes of Eric Giru you guys now it's done it's a done deal for you in terms of your title yeah it's gone man it's quite unfortunate I think it's one of the saddest stories of this year you want to do that to injure it's obvious I think the fact that we lost van Dijk to a ninja that was a big one then Gomez followed then Fabinho followed it was just injuring all departments we lost people obviously some influential players on the back line then you are having some influential players in midfield like the likes of Anderson and likes of Fabinho now coming again to play in defence so the whole chemistry of the team was affected to a big extent and also remember that Liverpool also when they are playing at home and there is that noise from the cup end to push them to the very limit so with that also plus the injuries I felt like we lost those two things when we lost them it kind of affected our chemistry and our flow and our confidence to a big level and also I mean Mo Salah Sadio Mane, Bobi Fimino Jota Kamsi in scores like in 4-5 months 4-5 games get injured so yeah I felt injured is let us now in a big way but hey look here we are in the quarterfinals we are facing a real Madrid team and I don't think they are what do you make of the pairings? good games you look at the pairings I think they are like the best teams in Europe right now obviously but probably that was the team that everyone was wishing they will get Chelsea have them but yeah they are quite my pottering fixtures let's see what happens but I have a strong strong strong feeling and I am great conviction that we are going to get past Real Madrid Liverpool in knockout games and Real Madrid will get to see that it's a matter of wait and see indeed a very interesting conversation that is why time has elapsed even without exhausting the talking points we had but it's been a pleasure having you Steve you know it's been a while and good to see you man thank you for coming through touchline comes to an end on that particular note and of course let's do this next time Saturday same time same place always an honor having you on board continue washing your hands and sanitizing keeping social distance and ensuring that you comply with the guidelines put in place by the government if we have to combat this monster for those of you are passionate about sports and every weekend especially Saturday afternoon you visit the local sporting ground to catch what is happening maybe we will have to sit in our houses and watch you know European football and the international break is here and a lot of qualifiers and friendly is happening so we've got no option hopefully things will resume normally God bless you have a nice weekend keep safe