Taiwo Atieno: British-born star with KSh6 billion plan for Kenyan football

Kenyan international Taiwo Atieno has ruled out any possibility of taking up coaching after retirement even as he plots a six billion investment back in Kenya once he hangs his boots.



The British-born former Luton Town forward has plans of establishing his own football club back in his father’s country of birth besides contracting four stadia in the entire Nyanza region.



“I want to build stadiums in Migori, Homa Bay, Siaya and Kisumu counties in that order and I believe I can do that within five years,” Taiwo, who last featured for Harambee Stars in 2012 revealed in a recent interview.



Each stadium is estimated to cost at least KSh1.5 billion, meaning that he will have to cough out at least KSh6 billion on the facilities alone.



Taiwo said “I want to start from scratch because I believe that way, it can be done quicker and without any politics”.



Born of a Kenyan father – former Daily Nation Correspondent Moussa Awuonda and a British mother, Bridget Mary Glaisher – Taiwo believes the football industry has the potential to lift Kenyan youth to prosperity, even as he gears up for a long journey into the murky waters of sports management.



“I want to be an owner and executive director. I’ll hire a coach,” he firmly said when asked whether he might consider venturing into coaching.



“It’s not just a dream and we shouldn’t fear something made from bricks and mortar.



“I can build an eight- to 10-thousand capacity stadium for under $15m.”



Kenya is currently facing a serious dearth of sports infrastructure with only Kasarani and Nyayo able to host international events.



Meanwhile, Wazito owner Ricardo Badoer is also in the process of constructing at least four-5000 capacity stadia in Kenya.



Badoer, though, will use his facilities to stage his own league, the USL League, an East African football and basketball leagues that is the equivalent of the America’s Major League Soccer.