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  • Mariga's Premier League Star Dimmed

    Posted: February 2, 2010, 10:00 am by Taabu

    Update 2: Raila in the mix
    The PM has announced that he successfully pushed for Mariga's case but unfortunately he secured the work permit after the transfer deadline. If that is true then Mariga can join an English Premier League club in the next transfer window this summer. But with a four-year deal at San Siro under the tutelage of the special one, Mariga may have bagged more than he prayed for.

    Raila stated he spent more than 200 minutes on phone talking to UK PM Gordon Brown's office, the Africa Office, office of Culture and Sports, the Home office, the FA president Lord Treisman and to Mariga himself. Was he trying to rig or just doing what he had to do? Well, out there rules are rules and they are bent for nobody no matter your social standing.

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    Update 1
    And Mariga has landed at Inter Milan in the capable hands of the special one, Jose Mourinho. Just when the English Premier League thought they have done him in by denying him work permit to play for Manchester City, Mariga has landed even a bigger trophy guaranteeing him Champions League in two weeks time. Now being Eto's teammate must be living the dream. Well, fate and fortune only smiles on the face of the deserving. Go Mariga go, you have hit the ceiling of Kenyan football history.

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    Kenya's McDonald Mariga has been denied work permit to play for Manchester City in the Premier League. While Mariga passed FA's criteria for appearing in 75% of internationals in the last two years (with his 24 caps for Kenya), his work permit application was rejected because Kenya is ranked 98th in Fifa's world rankings, outside the top 70 nations.

    Manchester City's management have failed in their appeal to have the verdict overturned about the 22-year-old. The Kenyan press must have celebrated too early even before the goal hit the net. Now you can imagine the family's heartache after such irresponsible exposure.

    Granted rules are rules and unlike us, civilized nations live by them and won't bent them no matter what. But the whole decision leaves a very sour taste in one's mouth. It is the individual who plays and not the country. Mariga's fate is akin to being erroneously declared incompetent by association and birth not his capabilities.

    This is such a sad fate for the Kenya's would-be record breaker in the world of football. But take heart young Mariga, your star has been recognized and no bushel will succeed in dimming it. At 22, it is only a matter of when and not if you live your dream, North West or elsewhere.Kumekucha


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