The Jonathan Jackson Foundation (JJF), called in Nairobi City Stars players, members of the technical as well as management team, for a workshop themed “How to budget and manage debts”.
The seminar, held at the World Hope Centre on Tuesday 15 February 2021, handed the City Stars family vital tips on financial management which anchored on credit access.
“The objective of the meet-up was to motivate NCS players and bench to adopt a budgeting habit and to be financially conscious when it comes to credit as this will make their financial goals achievable,” said Randy Ochieng, the JJF Business Development Manager who spearheaded the seminar
JJF CEO Diana Sifuna drummed up the context of the ongoing seminars to City Stars family that will, on average, be held each month tackling important topics at a time
“JJF seeks to empower women, youth and people abled differently. The Foundations’ work revolves around three pillars; Economic empowerment, humanitarian aid and sports,”
“The Foundation therefore, through the economic pillar, aims to help grow individual and group enterprises by training the members on best entrepreneurial practices that are sustainable and to also encourage the creation of sustainable jobs,”
“Getting to business for those yet to, and growing what already existing bussinesses, tackling how and the need to save, as well as budgetting and debt management are just part of the areas we wish to enlighten Nairobi City Stars players on,”
Part of the sub topics tackled included factors one has to consider before chosing to borrow to avoid being victims of it, challenges of borrowing which is a real concern.
Debt delinquency, which is when payment is not made by the due date or the end of the. “grace period” as established in a loan or repayment, was a sub topic covered.
Live within your means, stop bad habits such as alcoholism, stop being over-generous, learn to plan (budget), stop impulse (unplanned) purchases and buying excesses, as well as cut down on unnecessary expenses.
Those were choice words handed to Nairobi City Stars players and technical bench during a workshop on how to save held in World Hope Centre on Wednesday 12 January 2022.
The clubs’ bankroller Jonathan Jackson Foundation (JJF), through its economic Empowerment pillar, called out the aforementioned as part of the hindrances that stop many players, and athletes as a whole, from saving their hard-earned monies thereby failing to plan for a future.
During the Wednesday meet-up, JJF’s Business Development Manager (BDM) Randy Ochieng, reiterated the importance of financial management, and planning.
“The ultimate aim of the workshop was to inculcate the savings culture among the City Stars family as well as highlight suitable savings channels to the members to enable them to build up their savings for future purposes,” said Randy
“Among the areas we looked at was the importance of saving, factors that determine ability to save, as well as pillars and channels of saving whether formal or informal and the challenges of savings,”
Virtually all players agreed the seminar was an eye-opener and speaking at the event, these are some of the sentiments that came out;
“I am learning early, that for a good future I have to start saving what I earn now,” said teenager Timothy Babu Ouma
His senior Peter Pinchez Opiyo echoed Babu’s sentiments by saying; “This is an eye-opener, and it is very clear that saving calls for discipline and sacrifice. My take-home is, you have to start saving what you have now, and not tomorrow.”
Head coach Nicholas Muyoti, a former Kenya captain and international said;
“Most of what was highlighted at the seminar are things players can relate to. We thank the Jonathan Jackson Foundation for bringing this to light and we hope from today onwards we can pick up the saving culture by embracing proper financial management.” Added Muyoti
BDM Randy asked those at the seminar to acquire the culture of saving, discipline that includes deliberate effort not to withdraw saved money before a set objective is met, need to always budget, need to cut down on luxuries and unnecessary expenses e.g. use of cheaper means of transport, or walking home from training.
Diana Sifuna, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at JJF had the following closing remarks:
“The topic of the day and the teachings from the BDM is of great importance and if well embraced, will shape the future of the players and coaches,”
“I am happy at the uptake of the discussions based on the open intearctivity at the workshop. On behalf of the Foundation, I thank all those that attended,” said Diana before adding;
“In due course, the Foundation will engage the players and coaches in yet another life-changing workshop that aligns with our existing pillars.”
On Saturday 13 November 2021, Nairobi City Stars hand in hand with the Jonathan Jackson Foundation (JJF) partnered with Green Juniors Environmental Ambassadors CBO, and Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), joined forces to clean up a section of Mukuru kwa Reuben.
Beyond the clean-up, the exercise allowed all partners to engage with the community at large on the importance of conserving the environment.
Besides, the youth at Mukuru – footballers in particular and fans at large – had a first-line to meet their stars at City Stars. It was a connection point.
Club chair Jonathan Jackson led the exercise and was flanked by JJF CEO Diana Sifuna alongside City Stars head coach Nicholas Muyoti.
Due to an international break, City Stars had a free weekend and will be back in league action with a trip to Bandari next weekend.
Nairobi City Stars head coach Nicholas Muyoti and attacking-mid Rowland Makati at Mukuru kwa Reuebn during a cleanup exercise in partnership with Jonathan Jackson Foundation, Green Juniors Environmental Ambassadors CBO, and Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) on Saturday 13 November 2021.Defensive-mid Charles Otieno and creative-mid Elvis Noor Ojoambo at Mukuru kwa Reuebn during a cleanup exercise in partnership with Jonathan Jackson Foundation, Green Juniors Environmental Ambassadors CBO, and Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) on Saturday 13 November 2021.
Following the expiry of his contract, Bosnian Sanjin Alagic will be making a beeline for his homeland after two great seasons at Kenyan club Nairobi City Stars.
Sanjin arrived at Simba wa Nairobi in July of 2019 and led the club straight to the second title hence promotion back to the topflight after four seasons out.
He leaves at a time the team had scaled up to the sixth spot in the Kenyan Premier League (KPL), handing the reigns of holding the club together to his assistant John Amboko.
In eight answered questions, Sanjin summed his Kenyan experience and gave a glimpse of his thereafter.
1. Your stay in Kenya come to an end after a year and a half, how would you describe it?
It has been two great years; I started my job in the summer of 2019 actually. After eight years coaching across the Gulf, in Slovakia, Bosnia, and with the Bosnian national team, I wanted to go somewhere different and the opportunity to come to Kenya came at the perfect time.
It was a new challenge, and it gave me the chance to work in a new country and learn about a different culture and mentality.
Learning from all of these different experiences around the world will only make me a better coach, so I am honored that I had the chance to come here and to help the team.
It has been a wonderful opportunity, and we have a great squad. My boys are all humble and hardworking boys, and I will miss them for sure.
2. You have been integral in the transformation from a struggling second-tier team to a title contender how has the experience been and how did you manage that?
I agree, we have had an excellent last two years; first with a dominant title win, and now in the KPL, we are doing an amazing job with great results.
I have had the chance to coach at a good level in several countries, and I have now won trophies in 4 of them: across the Middle East, Europe, and Africa. I was and am always confident in my ability, but as a coach, you still need to have a strong team of people around you that all pull together in the same direction.
Honestly, before the season, no one expected or believed that Nairobi City Stars could achieve what it has achieved.
I said it a few times, we are a humble, hardworking squad, and we have to build the club the right way in order to sustain our position in the KPL. This was number one. However, we had a vision from the first day about how this team needs to grow and how it should look in the future.
We had our objectives and a clear, realistic plan to achieve them. We stuck to the plan, and we have been able to do great things.
We have had a very professional and dedicated approach to our work, in our training, and our planning and this has brought us to the situation where we are certainly one of the best and most organized clubs in Kenya.
There are more famous clubs for sure, but in terms of the way we work, we are doing things in a really good way.
Teamwork has been crucial, and at Nairobi City Stars everyone knows exactly what their role is. I always had great cooperation with Jonathan Jackson (owner), the CEO Patrick Korir, Samson Otieno (Coordinator), John Amboko (Assistant coach), Arthur Museve (trainer), Zack Onyango (keeper trainer), Nihad Nalblantic (assistant coach at some point), Abich (assistant coach) and also our dearly departed team manager Neville Pudo.
All of these people have been important and the achievements we have had, we have all made together.
3. What’s your take on the football talents we have in Kenya? How can we improve them?
When you mention Kenya in Europe, the first thing people always think about is athletics. This is great because Kenya has a strong reputation around the world in these disciplines and is always up there with the best in the world.
But this mentality sometimes forgets the fact that there are so many talented players in Kenya. Having coached players coming up through the Bosnian national team, some of whom have gone on to big-money transfers, and then comparing some of my boys at NCS, I can tell you for certain that the potential is huge.
Unfortunately, many players do not reach their full potential due to a lack of quality training facilities, sometimes lack of early proper coaching, and also due to poor advice coming from people around them.
The focus must always be on improving the youth and giving them the best chance to succeed.
When Kenya gets quality pitches for training and matches and can effectively organize a quality youth academy in clubs with championships for u15, u17, and u19, I am sure that Kenya will see huge progress in a short space of time both in the domestic leagues as well as with the national team.
I know that there are coaching courses taking place for a lot of local coaches and this is really pleasing for me to see, as I have also been a coach instructor myself.
Giving the coaches the ability and understanding on how to improve themselves to help improve the players, will also have a huge effect on Kenyan players being able to reach their undoubted potential.
4. What next for coach Sanjin?
To be honest, for now, it’s time to take a rest for a few months. I have been working non-stop over the last 8 years, and maybe if the coronavirus pandemic didn’t come along, I would have carried on doing this. But the way the world changed made me think more about my family and how much time I have spent away from them.
It makes me really happy that people have seen, and they appreciate our good work. Jonathan offered that I stay for a longer period and if circumstances were different, I would have had no problem in doing so.
However, it is time for me to go back home now. I want to take this opportunity to thank Jonathan for all of the trust and support he has given me in the past two years, and for sure we will always remain in contact.
5. How has JJF contributed to your successes in Kenya?
I liked the idea to connect sport with an impact in the community, to help people who really need support from us all. City Stars and Jonathan Jackson Foundation (JJF) have done a fantastic job this year, especially in the difficult times of Covid.
I am sure that they will continue their support in the future, and I will of course continue to support the cause as well.
6. What made you leave in the middle of the season?
It has been an accumulation of factors. As I mentioned, working non-stop for many years has been a consideration.
When I was working with the Bosnia national team, this job was coupled up with my club jobs at the time (FK Sarajevo in Bosnia and STK Samorin in Slovakia), so I was working double.
Then, everything with Covid happened and things became more intense. I was in periods in Kenya when my family couldn’t visit me, and even when I went home, the only consideration was to stay clear of people and keep doing all of the tests just so you can fly back with no problems. There has been no rest period for me.
We had certain objectives, and we not only reached them, but we hugely exceeded them. I think everyone who follows Kenyan football will agree with this.
The season also got extended past June, and it got to a stage where I had a conversation with Jonathan and asked him if I could leave earlier to go home to my family.
In the meantime, we have continued to have strong results, and I have set up all of the daily and match plans for the remaining few games we have left.
Jonathan was very kind and he understood my position, so it’s time for me to go back. I’m sure I will be back in Kenya soon, even if not for work, then to meet all of the wonderful friends that I have made here.
7. What memories will you pick from Kenya?
Friendly people with big hearts, beautiful nature, a great working atmosphere in City Stars, JJF and Lordship Africa, amongst all of the employees. I will treasure my memories of Kenya.
I would say we have had many tough opponents, remember our team was put together from scratch at the start of last season, so we have had many challenges both last season and this.
But the games that really stick out for me are Kakamega Homeboyz, and Ulinzi Stars. Ulinzi is a tough outfit, and you can see that they don’t concede many goals at all.
The match against Tusker was probably the toughest game for me, and it was a great experience. They have some really good players and deserve to be top of the league this year. For the title, it will be tight between Tusker and KCB.
For my favorite players? don’t think it is fair for me to pick one. My whole squad has given blood and sweat for the team, and I am massively proud of every single one of them.
Whenever you have a team, your experienced players are the ones that can help the coaches to carry the message onto the pitch, and for this, I have to give a huge shout to Shitu (Salim Abdala), Muki (Anthony Kimani), and Pinchez (Peter Opiyo). They are great players and great personalities.
However, I love my whole squad, and everyone has contributed to what we have managed to achieve so far.
Nairobi City Stars head coach Sanjin Alagic in a past game in the NSL against Kenya Police at Camp Toyoyo on 29 Feb 2019Nairobi City Stars Head coach Sanjin AlagicJohn Amboko is sandwiched by former coach Sanjin Alagic whom he took over from in mid-July 2021. To the right is assistant coach Noah Abich
On Saturday 5 Sep 2020, Nairobi City Stars chairperson Jonathan Jackson made his debut on Radull Live where he was hosted by Carol Radull.
On the show, Jonathan, the founder of Jonathan Jackson Foundation (JJF) who bankroll City Stars in full, discussed topical issues surrounding the club; from players to the wish to own a stadium.
Missed the show? Visit the link below and take a listen on how the interactive show eked out.
Jonathan Jackson with Radull Live host Carol Radull on Sat 5 Sep 2020Jonathan Jackson at Rradull Live on Sat 5 Sep 2020Jonathan Jackson with Radull Live host Carol Radull on Sat 5 Sep 2020Jonathan Jackson at Rradull Live on Sat 5 Sep 2020
