After his interview with Fred Arocho on Radio Jambo #WorldOfSports, Motego had time to spare for another interview with radiojambo.co.ke and had the following to say about his illustrious career.
RADIO JAMBO: Which is the best match you have ever played?
HENRY MOTEGO: (Laughs). Club or country?
RJ: Giving account of each would be great too?
HM: For club, it is the match against Mbilinga of Gabon in 1994 when Kenya Breweries reached the finals of African Cup Winners' Cup. We were playing for a chance to reach the finals since we were already at the semifinals stage and having drawn 1-1 away to the Gabonese side we only needed a 0-0 draw at home to go through. However, I went on to have the game of my life at the Nyayo National Stadium and scored a hat-trick to secure a 3-0 win for Kenya Breweries and a comfortable passage to the final.
It had rained on that day and from my observation, the Gabonese did not know how to play in such conditions and I took advantage of that. It is sad that we lost 5-2 on aggregate to Darling Club Motema Pembe in the final but that match will forever remain the best I ever played in my club career.
RJ: Wow! How about with the national team?
HM: (Smiles). The match which we knocked Algeria out of the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. We won 3-1 at home with me scoring a goal from the penalty spot (2-0) and providing an assist for Vincent Kwarula (1-0). We lost the away leg 1-0 but we had already done enough to qualify for the next round.
RJ: Who can you say is the best coach you played under?
HM: Tony Banfield while I was at Kenya Breweries.
RJ: Do you know about his whereabouts? Are you still in touch with him?
HM: He went back to England and I believe he is still there. I lost contact with him many years ago. When he left Kenya Breweries he used to call and check on the team and other people he left behind once in a while but then we lost touch and we have not talked to each other again.
RJ: You were a tough striker and defenders definitely dreaded coming up against you, but which defender can you rank as the best you ever came up against?
HM: Tobias "Jua Kali" Ocholla. He was tough and strong like me and I always found it hard to beat him one-on-one. To get past him I had to wait until the midfield or defence play a long ball and then I beat him to the ball with my pace. He was not that fast (laughs).
RJ: So if Tobias Ocholla was the best defender you ever battled with on the football pitch, how about goalkeepers? Which goalkeeper troubled you the most?
HM: (Laughs). There can only be one and it is Mahmoud Abbas. It was tough playing against him. He used to talk and shout for 90 minutes ordering his defenders around and organizing them in such a way that I can not find space to have a chance at goal. Abbas knew I was dangerous and he always did his best to make sure defenders were all over me before I even got to him. It was hell.
RJ: How about strike partners? Who was your favourite partner in attack?
HM: The Late Sammy "Jogoo" Onyango with the national team and Ambrose Ayoyi. We were such a deadly force.
RJ: You sure scored many goals during your career but which goal is your favourite?
HM: There was this time I was playing against Gor Mahia at City Stadium and the Late Tirus Omondi was their goalkeeper at the time. Tirus had the habit of loitering outside his penalty area and in that match I kept telling myself that I will lob him from the halfway line. When the chance came, I did just that. The match ended 1-0 and I never scored a better goal than that.
RJ: We had Frankline Obare with us a few back and definitely you know him well from your time at Kenya Breweries. We also believe you were there in 2001 when he scuffed that shot in Tunis against Esperance that if he had scored, Tusker would have qualified for the CAF Champions League group stage. Obare says that miss is the biggest regret from his playing career? Do you have a similar experience?
HM: (Laughs). Yes I was there and Obare was heavily blamed for that miss but that is the nature of football. You win some and lose some. For my part, my biggest regret is a penalty I missed for my school, Iterio, during the 1986 Kenya Secondary School games final against Kakamega High School at Thika Secondary School. The score was 0-0 after 90 minutes and extra time and so the match had to be settled by penalties. When my turn came, I missed the kick that would have won us the title and the next player to take for Kakamega scored. I was haunted by that miss but by the grace of God we won the Kenya Secondary School games title the following year after defeating Kakamega High School at their own ground.
RJ: You also played football in Oman for Al Oruba from 1991 to 1992. How was the experience?
HM: It was not really about the experience that took me there but the money. I was earning well, close to 400 000 shillings a month but the quality of football there was not that good. Omanis have oil and money but don't know how to play football. I remember while I was there, we were about 11 Kenyans playing for various teams in their league because we were really good. Mike Okoth, Peter Mwololo and Douglas Mutua are some of the guys I played with over there.
RJ: Do you follow the Kenyan Premier League and which is your favourite team?
HM: I do catch some games when I am free and Tusker is the team whose progress I follow keenly. The quality of football on show is however not that good. I wish our players could work harder.
RJ: It has been two years since Tusker last won the league and despite recruiting heavily last season as well as bringing Francis Kimanzi on board as coach, they still fell short. What do you think they should do better to win the league next season?
HM: In my opinion, the club should look for a good striker and goalkeeper. If that is done, then I believe we can win the league next season.
RJ: Is there any Tusker player who impressed you last season?
HM: None. They are too inconsistent for my liking. A player shines today and then has to be looked for using a torch tomorrow because he has disappeared from the game completely. Players should strive to be consistent if they want to be seen as outstanding members of their teams.
RJ: How about overall? Is there a player from the current lot who reminds you of your playing days?
HM: Dan Serunkuma. When I see him play, he brings back memories of my playing days. He is very disciplined and knows what to do with the ball. If you give him the ball, you expect two things; a goal or a save by the goalkeeper. No jokes.
RJ: What of Kenyan players? Is there any that has caught your eye?
HM: Well, there is that boy from Sofapaka [Enock Agwanda] who can really play when he means business. If he can be consistent, it would be very great.
Anyway nowadays, there is shortage of Kenyan players to look upto. If you ask a young Kenyan football player who he looks up to he mentions names of European and South American stars. Everything about our young players is just Europe because there are no role models for them locally. When I was young I looked up to JJ Masiga and I was thrilled when I met him at the national team for the first time. I told him that he was my favourite player and it made me happy that I will be playing with him in the national team. JJ was happy for me and he took me under his wing and gave me advice and guidance. Then one day he gave me his jersey and told me that I was ready to take over from him as he was retiring. Our footballers need such. Local heros who can make them dream.
RJ: What of Oliech [Dennis], Mariga [McDonald] and Victor [Wanyama]? They are an inspiration to many young Kenyan footballers?
HM: It is true they have done well and I am happy for them more so Mariga who passed through my hands at Tusker.
RJ: Shabana has earned promotion to the Kenyan Premier League. How do you think they will fare on?
HM: As with all new teams, Shabana will be looking to avoid relegation and I therefore seeing them being very hard to beat in the first leg. KPL is usually crazy in the second leg and that is time many teams crumble and so if you did not do enough in the first leg, you find yourself fighting for survival. I also expect Shabana to be very strong at home.
RJ: What do you think Shabana should do right to make a good impression in the KPL?
HM: Good performance starts with those in charge of the team and not the players. The officials should be committed and do things that benefit the team and not themselves. Money should also be used well and the club should sign the right players and put in place a good technical bench. If that is done, then the Shabana of old is here to stay.
RJ: Where will your heart be when Shabana and Tusker meet?
HM: My home comes first. I will support Shabana. Nyumbani ni nyumbani. (laughs).
RJ: Do any of your sons play football and do you see them emulating you?
HM: Yes. My two sons, Brian and Zachary, in Secondary School play football and both are strikers for their schools. Of course it will make me very happy and proud to see them follow in my footsteps and even surpass me but the law in my house is that school is important and they should get papers to be assured of a safe and stable future.
RJ: Great to see you guiding them in that light. How often do you see them play?
HM: Unfortunately I rarely see them play but I always get reports about how they play. The reports are good most of the times. (smiles).
RJ: It has been really great having you with us Henry. What is your parting shot to budding footballers?
HM: Discipline. They should be discipline and focused on their career. Without discipline they will go nowhere. They should also take good care of their bodies by eating well, exercising and avoiding drugs and alcohol.