 |
| The Three Musketeers |
Your elder son is already a successful footballer who plays for one of the biggest clubs in the world. He is only 24 years and is such a pin-up back at home and even bigger abroad having won a UEFA Champions League winner’s medal, something that a player like Frank Lampard is still dreaming to achieve, never mind he is at the wrong side of 30 years.
Your younger son, also a footballer, recently celebrated his 20th birthday and like a perfect birthday present, he signed a lucrative contract with a Scottish club whose mission statement says the club is “legendary and as with most legends as much myth as fact surrounds its history and what the Club stands for today.
As if that’s not enough, you receive news that your young daughter has just landed a lucrative Sh20 million, four-year basketball scholarship to play for a basketball college team whose motto befittingly reads: ‘Live your purpose’
For many, that would only happen in an ideal world, especially if you come from one of those countries christened ‘Third World’ by their more economically endowed nations.
Well, welcome to the world of Noah Wanyama, the father to Mercy Wanyama, Victor Wanyama and McDonald Wanyama. For his is a meaty family that suits the aforementioned description.
Not much is known about the proud (and if he is not, he should be) father except that he is a former Kenya international who also played club football with AFC Leopards as a left winger. His achievements, if any, are not known, perhaps never will be and would perhaps make little sense if compared to what his magical three-some have or will achieve as they soldier on with their careers.
McDonald Mariga Wanyama may have had a frustrating season with Inter Milan last season making only eleven appearances, most of them as a substitute. However, there’s no doubt about his talent and creative play. The spark he adds to a team was clearly demonstrated when Angola came calling in the Africa Nations Cup qualifiers as he pummeled in a thunderous piledriver that gave Kenya a last gasp win over the South-central Africans. Napoli is reported to be interested on his services should he move away from Inter.
Victor Mugabe… Wanyama, like his brother Mariga and another Kenyan international Dennis Oliech attended Kamukunji High School where he played before joining JMJ Academy for three years. He then had a stint with Kenyan Premier League Clubs Nairobi City Stars and AFC Leopards before joining his brother at Swedish side Helsingborgs IF. When Mariga left the Swedish giants for Italian side Parma, Mugabe returned to JMJ Academy before being snapped up by Belgian side Beerschot AC.
He made his debut at only 15years of age in a friendly against Nigeria and has 11 international caps.
His current club, Celtic, tried to sign him from Beerschot in the summer of 2010 but he was not allowed to leave. Now he has joined the 42-time Scottish champions and he has the world at his feet.
Then there’s Mercy Ayitso… Wanyama. She’s not known as his brothers (thanks to the lack of a fanatic basketball fanbase in Kenya), but the step she has taken has definitely been noticed.
The recently graduated Lang'ata High School student, is also set to be part of the Kenya team at the All Africa Games in Maputo this September. Surely, dad must be proud.
Surely, Noah Wanyama must be a proud father. He might not have been comparatively as successful as his sons in football but lest we forget the hat-trick he scored in bringing in the three musketeers Mercy, MacDonald and Mugabe.
And That's thesteifmastertake!!
No comments:
Post a Comment