This archive report was first published on 6 September 2019.
Published on September 6, 2019, the National Super League (NSL) in Kenya was once considered a breeding ground for young footballers seeking to make it to the top-tier Kenyan Premier League (KPL).
However, a recent trend suggests that the league is rapidly changing, with more experienced players being preferred over young talent. This shift is attributed to the increasing competitiveness of the NSL, which has seen teams struggling to survive.
According to Wilson Aol, head coach of NSL side Migori Youth, the NSL is a very difficult league to compete in, with teams having no option but to look for more mature players to be able to compete.
"Unlike what most people think, the NSL is a very competitive league," Aol opined. "With more and more players coming into the NSL from the KPL, teams have no option but to also look for more mature players to be able to compete."
Maurice Ogur, a former Kisumu Posta defender who featured in both the NSL and KPL, shared a similar sentiment. Ogur believes that the physical nature of the NSL makes it difficult for teams to field purely youthful sides.
"From my experience, NSL is even more physical than the KPL," Ogur said. "It is not a competition where one can make an impact with kids."
The shift away from youth development has left many young players struggling to find opportunities to nurture their talents. As a result, they are forced to drop down to lower leagues, which lack exposure and television coverage.
According to Aol, the lack of live television coverage for games in the lower leagues is a major concern. This means that talented players in these leagues may never be discovered, or are discovered when it is already late.
