Jackline Juma enters history books after joining Kenyan Premier League side FC Talanta

This is after FC Talanta moved to appoint CAF A licensed Jackline Juma as their new head coach following the departure of Ken Kenyatta, who has since been unveiled at Kakamega Homeboyz on a one-year deal.

Formed in 1963 under the Kenya Football Federation (KFF) but is now controlled by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), the Kenyan top-flight has never experienced a female coach take charge of any team.

But 61 years later, Talanta announced the acquisition of Juma, in a statement on their social media pages by saying: “Jackline (Juma) makes history as the first-ever female coach to take charge of a men’s team in the Kenya Premier League as she is appointed FC Talanta head coach.

“She is one of only three female coaches with a CAF A license in Kenya and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the club.”

Juma eyeing top-five finish in new season

The soft-speaking Juma did not hesitate to outline her vision after taking charge saying her immediate task was to make sure that Talanta finishes the top-fight amongst the top five teams.

“First of all, I have to thank God, it is a great achievement for me and the female coaches out there, it is another experience that I want to gain and of course take Talanta to greater heights,” Juma told Flashscore.

“Of course, we have new targets for the new season, we don’t want to find ourselves in the same situation as last season, so for now, it will be one game at a time, one step at a time but all in all we have a target.”

Pressed further to state what the target was, Juma said: “I am ready for the challenge ahead of me, making it to the top five is all that I want to achieve with the team. I believe I will achieve at Talanta. It is all about what I can do, my credentials, and not gender.”

Last season, Talanta found themselves fighting against relegation in the closing stages of the league and they finally kept their status by a whisker, finishing 15th on the 18-team table, above Sofapaka, who dropped to the promotion play-off battle.

Talanta accumulated 37 points from eight wins, 13 draws, and 13 defeats and were just a point above Batoto ba Mungu, who had 36 and had to play National Super League (NSL) side Naivas FC in the play-offs, winning 2-0 on aggregate to survive the axe.

Asked whether she was concerned about being the only female coach in a male-dominated league, Juma said: “Gender should not be a barrier, I should say women coaches out there should step up, I am here because of them (female coaches), to show them we can do it and they should believe it is possible, I thank Talanta, my new employers for believing in me, as much as I am a female coach.

“So, my fellow female coaches should not shy off, they should come out and get these opportunities, they should strive to get CAF licenses, to get the coaching knowledge that is needed at this top level to coach teams in the Premier League.”

Juma took her time to praise FKF under the stewardship of President Nick Mwendwa for their support and unending courses to train coaches in the country saying it had helped many to venture into coaching.

“I have reached here because of FKF, it is through classes offered by FKF, starting with CAF D courses, back to CAF instructors course and then of course to CAF A license, it was a good platform that was offered, to get the knowledge so that at least while coaching you understand what you are doing, it is not coaching out of experience based on playing but it is also coaching through whatever you have learned. So, for me, FKF is doing a good job in terms of educating coaches.”

Juma a perfect example of FKF’s good work

Speaking separately to Flashscore, Mwendwa explained why Juma’s steady rise to coach in the Premier League resulted from the good work being undertaken by the federation under his watch.

“We are committed to training the trainers, it’s the difficult and unappreciated work we have to do if we are to achieve results at the top level and the appointment of Juma to handle Talanta is a very good step of what we have wanted to achieve as a federation,” Mwendwa told Flashscore.

“Coaching education is a key pillar in our football development agenda. Most of the coaches (we have been training), have been doing immense work at the grassroots out of their love for the game, and we hope that we can turn this passion into careers.

“So, if you look at Juma, she has already turned her passion into a career, she is now employed, she will be taking home something from the job, and it is what we want to do, train as many coaches as possible, make sure they get careers out of it, because better quality football calls for investment in coaching education and this is our commitment as FKF.”

Mwendwa reiterated FKF’s commitment to coaching education, noting that it is the only way Kenya can nurture talented footballers.

“As a Federation, coaching education remains key in our football development agenda. It is for this reason that we have offered courses free of charge to not only ensure our players are handled by qualified personnel but to also bridge a capacity gap that had in the past denied our coaches job opportunities both at home and abroad,” offered Mwendwa.

“Talanta’s decision to place their trust in coach Jackline (Juma) underscores the idea that football transcends gender. Her appointment is more than just a milestone; it’s a powerful statement that in football, skill, strategy, and leadership are what truly matter,” concluded Mwendwa.

Former Gor Mahia and Harambee Stars goalkeeper Mathews Ottamax said FKF’s open-door policy to coaches had positively impacted young players' development across the country. “After enrolling in the CAF D coaching course, I gained valuable insights and a better understanding of football development. I now appreciate the open-door policy of the federation, as well as the positive results lately achieved by our national teams, including the Junior Starlets representing Kenya in the Junior Women's FIFA World Cup for the first time in history,” Ottamax told Flashscore.

“Juma’s success is because of FKF. She is now writing history when no one believed a female coach would handle a men’s team in the top flight.”

Ottamax concluded: “Additionally, the federation has trained thousands of grassroots coaches and school teachers, which has positively impacted our young players' development, as was displayed by the Emerging Stars and Junior Starlets in recent international tournaments.”

FKF Media Officer Ken Okaka explained why Juma’s success was a result of having a large pool of well-trained coaches in the country. “So far, more than 6,000 coaches have benefited from the training offered by the federation.

"The truth is 6,000 is not enough. To change football in Kenya, we need five to ten times this number. And that is the journey we are on and the journey we must remain on,” explained Okaka to Flashscore.

“There are less than 100 elite coaches in Kenya (CAF B and A level) - we need to get to a point where we have 300, then 500 to 1,000, and the difference will be massive. Today, almost every grassroots team at the lowest level is being handled by a well-trained coach who understands what he needs to train the players at their level through the guidance of the FKF curriculum.”

Okaka continued: “CAF diplomas open doors for the coaches for opportunities in Kenya and outside the country besides helping in raising the standards of the game at the grassroots.

“At the highest levels of the game, football is about knowledge, and coaches are the vessels that bring it to players and teams. Knowledge affects quality, quality affects winning. This is the formula for a better future for Kenyan football.

“The coaching courses are a way for players to continue a life in football after retirement. Players, especially those who play at the highest levels, have some knowledge about the game-venturing into coaching, which will give them a new perspective on football.”

A separate statement from FKF concluded: “As Juma prepares to lead Talanta, she is eager to embrace this new chapter in her career. Her story is an inspiration to many and a beacon of hope for aspiring female coaches across the country. The football world will be watching closely as she takes on this new challenge, ready to cheer her on as she continues to break barriers and set new standards for the beautiful game.”

Juma, who has gained extensive experience with clubs such as Acakoro, Gor Mahia Queens, and the U15 girls, will begin her reign at Talanta with a home fixture against defending champions Gor Mahia at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos on Sunday, August 25th.

Her second fixture will be against Sofapaka at the same venue on September 14th.