The Kenya Premier League set up a Under 19 tournament as a way to get teams to invest in youth football. The idea is that if KPL teams invest in structured youth development the quality of the league will be higher because players who are products of good youth structures are generally of a higher calibre.
The second reason for the U19 tournament is as a marketing tool: The idea is that when players are introduced to the public at a young age, the public learns about these players at a young age and develops an attachment to them early.
However the Kenya Premier League teams have made such a mockery of the KPL U19 tournament that there is no way it will meet its intended goals.
No Youth Structures
Virtually none of the teams have a permanent youth team. The only team that has any semblance of a youth team is Thika United. Even Mathare United which used to have several youth teams have disbanded all of them. Aside from Thika United, the rest of the teams are hurriedly assembling teams only 2 weeks before the tournament starts.
The lack of youth structures means that KPL teams will continue to sign players who are of low calibre. The quality of the league will therefore continue to suffer. It comes as no surprise that KPL teams generally find it difficult to score goals. It comes as no surprise either that KPL teams generally struggle to make a mark on the continental scene. And finally it comes as no shock that the national team, Harambee Stars has not done anything of note in a decade. While clubs in neighboring countries like Ethiopia invest in youth structures, no such thing happens in Kenya. It therefore is no shock that Ethiopia qualified for the last Africa Nations cup and leads their group in World Cup qualifying.
Fans have no connection with the players
Hurriedly assembling a team 2 weeks before the tournament means that fans do not know these players. And it also means that the players are likely to be discarded after the tournament. This also means that fans will not make any emotional investment with the players.
If teams had permanent youth teams on the other hand, fans would make a real attachment to these players as they will have watched them grow from their mid teens to the cusp of adulthood. A contest between Gor Mahia U19 and AFC U19 will therefore be a real indication of which team has a brighter future and the fan interest would be high.
The Quality of Play will be low
It goes without saying that players who stay together longer, build an understanding. However most of the KPL teams are performing trials only 3 weeks before the tournament starts which means there will be no cohesion among the teams and the quality of play will suffer.
Sponsorship is unlikely
Because teams are hurriedly assembled, the public does not know much about them. Since the public cannot relate to any of these players, public interest is likely to be low. Therefore sponsors are unlikely to ever be interested in this tournament.
