Marked for David Kipkirui
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad22 Nov 2027
A season's verdict on Kammonke Willie: the best of his age
KCB have a 19-year-old the division has just voted its finest young footballer. The club's next problem is that everybody else now knows it too.
Squad22 Nov 2027
“I remember the meeting. I remember exactly what was promised in it.” KCB may remember it differently, which is precisely the problem.
Squad22 Nov 2027
Tempers go at KCB
Gideon Werre was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Back issues
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad25 Oct 2027
Tempers go at KCB
Nashon Alembi was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad25 Oct 2027
Stephen Etyang falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Loan watch25 Oct 2027
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at KCB, and 0 appearances in 9 say he has earned the hearing.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
The terraces27 Sep 2027
The ground has had enough
“We travel everywhere and we get this.” 10 of the 26 senior players heard it walking off, and the ones who did not hear it were not playing.
Squad27 Sep 2027
Tempers go at KCB
Humphrey Mieno was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad27 Sep 2027
Words at KCB training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Nashon Alembi is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Squad27 Sep 2027
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Match25 Sep 2027
Beaten 0‑1, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.
Loan watch27 Sep 2027
“I watch every KCB game from here. That says everything about where my head is.” The loan at Nairobi United runs its course, but his heart never made the trip.
Player ratings27 Sep 2027
Successful dribbles: 13. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
Squad27 Sep 2027
Arnold Matumele dropped after a run of poor form
The one version of being left out a player cannot argue with, and the one he takes worst. Somebody else has been better and the team sheet says so, in public, every week until it changes.
Player ratings27 Sep 2027
Marked 5.28, and generously at that. Nothing came off, and by the end the crowd had stopped expecting it to.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Squad16 Aug 2027
Tempers go at KCB
Humphrey Mieno was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad16 Aug 2027
Words at KCB training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Nashon Alembi is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Match14 Aug 2027
Posta Rangers left with the points after a 0‑1 defeat that will take some explaining on the terraces.
Market16 Aug 2027
Add another name to the list: Nairobi United have asked the question everybody in the game has been asking about David Kipkirui. The answer from KCB has not changed — yet.
Squad16 Aug 2027
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Peace Dewan, and the manager let it.
Squad16 Aug 2027
6 new faces, and KCB are still learning each other
A squad rebuilt inside one window pays for it in a currency nobody budgets for. The football is not worse than the sum of the players; it is worse than the sum of the players who have played together before.
Player ratings16 Aug 2027
Marked 4.80, and generously at that. Nothing came off, and by the end the crowd had stopped expecting it to.
Market16 Aug 2027
Peace Dewan brings the grey hairs KCB lacked
At 37, he has seen every situation this season can produce, twice. The legs will be managed; the head is the purchase.
Player ratings16 Aug 2027
Successful dribbles: 12. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Squad9 Aug 2027
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at KCB this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad9 Aug 2027
“The easiest signature of my career.” Ibrahim Nura and KCB agree another 4 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
Squad9 Aug 2027
Nashon Alembi falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Loan watch9 Aug 2027
“I watch every KCB game from here. That says everything about where my head is.” The loan at Kakamega Homeboyz runs its course, but his heart never made the trip.
Squad9 Aug 2027
The manager makes an example of Boniface Omondi
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Match7 Aug 2027
Beaten 0‑1, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.
Market9 Aug 2027
Both sides expect a conversation in the coming days. KCB will name a price, and everything after that is arithmetic.
Market9 Aug 2027
“There is a gap, and pretending there is not helps nobody.” Neither side has moved, and the calendar is working for exactly one of them.
Player ratings9 Aug 2027
Successful dribbles: 12. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Match24 Jul 2027
No end in sight to KCB's wait for a win
5 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at KCB has to find a result from somewhere.
Market26 Jul 2027
The offer was not close and it was refused without much discussion. Whether the second one is refused as quickly is another matter.
Squad26 Jul 2027
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at KCB this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad26 Jul 2027
Nashon Alembi falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Match24 Jul 2027
Beaten 0‑1, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.
Squad26 Jul 2027
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Boardroom26 Jul 2027
90% of the income goes out in wages at KCB
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
Player ratings26 Jul 2027
Successful dribbles: 13. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
Squad26 Jul 2027
Kammonke Willie is the weekend's best young player
At 19 he is being measured against the rest of the division's kids and coming out in front. The senior version of this award is where the club would like this to lead.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Match17 Jul 2027
No end in sight to KCB's wait for a win
4 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at KCB has to find a result from somewhere.
Match17 Jul 2027
Tusker take the points off KCB
Beaten 3‑4, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.
Squad19 Jul 2027
Tempers go at KCB
Humphrey Mieno was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Match17 Jul 2027
7 goals as KCB and Tusker go for it
Defending was optional and nobody took up the option. 7 goals between KCB and Tusker, and not one of the people who paid to be there will ask for the money back.
Market19 Jul 2027
The name of David Kipkirui has come up in conversations KCB were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.
Squad19 Jul 2027
Words at KCB training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Nashon Alembi is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Squad19 Jul 2027
The manager makes an example of Nashon Alembi
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Squad19 Jul 2027
Patrick Otieno knocks on the manager’s door
“Thirty minutes, door closed, everything said. We shook hands after.” Whatever was in the room stayed in the room, and Patrick Otieno trained the next morning like a man with less to carry.
Market19 Jul 2027
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. KCB know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Market5 Jul 2027
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at KCB, and it is not being withdrawn.
Squad5 Jul 2027
Tempers go at KCB
Humphrey Mieno was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad5 Jul 2027
Words at KCB training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Nashon Alembi is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Squad5 Jul 2027
The manager makes an example of Humphrey Mieno
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Match3 Jul 2027
0‑1 to Kenya Police, and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.
Squad5 Jul 2027
“The easiest signature of my career.” Josphat Andafu Mukhwana and KCB agree another 2 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
Market5 Jul 2027
Both sides expect a conversation in the coming days. KCB will name a price, and everything after that is arithmetic.
Boardroom5 Jul 2027
KCB sign 4 boys into the academy
None of them will be seen by anybody outside the training ground for three years, most of them will never play a senior match, and one of them might change the club. That is the whole proposition, and it is why academies exist.
Player ratings5 Jul 2027
Successful dribbles: 12. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.