Victor Wanyama Reveals One Critical Aspect Delaying His Kenyan Academy

Former Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama has opened up about the progress of his highly-awaited academy.

Wanyama, and his brother McDonald Mariga, are building a sporting facility in Busia county that will be a hub for not just nurturing talents but also offer education, creating wholesome individuals.

In a bid to create the next generation of Kenyan players, Wanyama hopes to provide a structured pathway for youngsters, guiding them from grassroots development to high-performance training as they develop their sporting skills.

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With that in mind, the midfielder is keen to ensure that they have the best in class facilities at their disposal and among the key things that he does want to get right is the playing surface.

Sitting on a 22-acre piece of land, the Wanyama academy already has classrooms, teachers’ quarters, dormitories, administration block and classrooms up but the pitch will be among the last to be ready.

Wanyama admits working on the playing surface is what has delayed the opening of the facility as he has to ensure it meets the standards since it is an area that will have a huge impact on budding talents whose development could be affected incase of a mess.

“We have been building an academy in Busia, and it has not been easy because we are aiming for world-class standards,” Wanyama told ex-Nigerian star John Obi Mikel on his Obi One Podcast.

“That has taken time, but we are now working on the pitches and making sure everything is done right. Very soon, it will be up and running.”

Wanyama, who honed his skills at the JMJ Academy, which loaned him to AFC Leopards before he moved to Swedish club Helsingborg, feels compelled to give back after coming through a system that did not have structured pathways for youngsters.

He was among a handful of Kenyan players who made it abroad after moving while still young and says facilities like his soon-to-launched academy will prepare young players for what will come their way when they move overseas.

“We did not have the opportunities we are trying to provide to young players today,” he further stated. “It is important to expose them early so that when they get chances to go abroad, they are not overwhelmed, they can adapt quickly and perform at their best,” added the midfielder, who remains the first and only Kenyan to play in the English Premier League.

Wanyama played in Belgium at Beerschot after his stint in Sweden before moving to Scotland where he became a fan favourite while turning out for Celtic.

It is from Celtic that he made the move to the Premier League, joining Southampton in the summer of 2013, and after three years, he signed for Tottenham Hotspur.

Wanyama would leave Spurs for the MLS, signing for CF Montreal in March 2022, and stayed at the club until November 2024 before departing at the end of his contract.

That kind of experience is what the 34-year-old, who had a brief stint at Scottish second-tier side Dunfermline Athletic last year, is hoping those who will come through the academy will get a feel of.