Former Kenyan international goalkeeper Arnold Origi has hit back at the new Wazito Fc head coach Melis Medo. This comes after the coach publicly criticized his players following their 2-1 loss to Sofapaka on Sunday.
In a rant following his team’s loss, Medo went in hard on his players especially the goalkeepers and the defenders.
“All of the defenders must go! All of them must go including the keepers must go. You want the naked truth, all of them including the keeper will go. You cannot be a keeper without talking, you cannot be a bus driver without the steering wheel, all of them will go, I am just saying it out and that is the truth!” An irritated Medo claimed after the match.
Through his social media page, Origi strongly criticized the manager’s ill-advised actions.
The level of UNPROFESSIONALISM and DISRESPECT shown to Kenyan Football players on a constant basis, by people who are supposed to be and have the responsibility of being role models to them when it comes to professionalism, respect and championing these issues for them in the local game, is absolutely appalling.
This display that in all honesty, has a huge potential of destroying the careers of these young Goalkeepers at Wazito Football Club before they even start, and for a lack of quality or skill that is Your responsibility to help them master Mr Coach, is an act of cowardice and a show of lack of leadership.
90% of young Goalkeepers in Kenya lack the skill and quality in communication when in goal, not because they do not know that they are required to communicate, but because they do not know what they are supposed to communicate. I am convinced that this is the case because, the number one question I always get when I interact with them is “What should i say to my defenders during a game? So most of them, are quiet when in goal because, they just simply do not know what to say.
So instead of going at them in this manner and in public, why not help them develop this quality or skill? By giving them the exact information of how you want your team to look like defensively when You are without the ball, and how You want Your teams shape to look like when in possession of the ball, so that you do not get hurt when you lose it. When defending the box from crosses, who should be where and how should the situation look like in the box, during corners do you want to defend zonal and if so which zones do you want defended and by who? and if it is man marking who do you want to be marking and who should they be marking. By doing so You equip Your Keepers, with information on all phases that may occur in a match and You’ll end up having Goalkeepers that will be in constant communication with their defenders trying to have things the way they are supposed be. By the way,this process will take a maximum of 20mins only before a game or better yet, you can get them involved in training when you are training these things.
Bashing them in the media doesn’t and won’t help them. As a coach, and as a leader it’s ur responsibility to help ur players not only win football matches, but also develop and become top football players. You are not supposed to destroy them, especially not the young ones. Read his message.
Do you think Medo is in the wrong? Share your thoughts in the comments section