Mathare United turn to grassroots talent to steady Premier League campaign

Mathare United are intensifying their push to strengthen their Premier League campaign by deliberately returning to the grassroots, Club CEO Jackton Obure said. 

The club believes the strategy will not only improve their league finish but also secure long-term sustainability through the discovery of emerging and previously unknown talent.  

Obure said the renewed approach has already begun to widen the player pool and reshape recruitment priorities. 

“Talent has really grown, and the president asked us to go back to grassroots, so we hope to fetch talent and the unknown boys,” Obure said.

He noted that the directive has reinforced the club’s traditional identity as a development-driven side.

The focus on youth comes as Mathare United navigate their second season since relegation, with the men’s team now back in the Premier League and working to establish consistency against more settled opposition. 

Obure acknowledged that recent performances reflect a team still in transition but showing measurable progress. 

“For Mathare, this is our second season since relegation, and for every two wins I get above, for losses I get below,” he said.

He said that the balance between positive results and setbacks points to gradual upward movement rather than regression.

Mathare’s technical bench has been encouraged by the team’s ability to compete across fixtures, even as lapses have cost them valuable points, with Obure maintaining that patience and structured growth remain central to the club’s outlook. 

The CEO added that stability within the coaching department has been key to maintaining belief during this phase.

“Our coach is very professional,” he said, crediting the technical team for maintaining standards and clear objectives as the season unfolds.

Attention now turns to Saturday’s Premier League fixture against Murang’a Seal, a match Obure believes forms part of a decisive run that will shape Mathare United’s season. 

“For the next five matches, that’s when we get the direction for the league,” he said, as the Slum Boys prepare for a stretch that could define their push for stability and a stronger finish in the top flight.

Obure also highlighted the importance of the club’s women’s and girls’ structures, which he says continue to reflect the effectiveness of Mathare’s development model.

 

“I am glad all is well in our girls’ league and hope to go to the Premier League. I have watched the women and discovered there is talent and our coach at Mathare United looks to strengthen the squad by two teams, looking for players who are not as known,” he said.

He linked the women’s progress to the same grassroots philosophy driving the men’s rebuild.