‘He remains the best’ - Kakamega Homeboyz boss defends Patrick Matasi amidst match-fixing storm

Kakamega Homeboyz have no desire to take any action on goalkeeper Patrick Matasi after he was captured in a clip allegedly being convinced to fix a match.

Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula has weighed in on the match-fixing allegations facing the club’s goalkeeper Patrick Matasi.

Matasi is a man under fire from football stakeholders and supporters after a viral clip posted online captured him speaking to a man who appears to be a match manipulator.

The goalkeeper can be seen receiving instructions over how to fix a match from an unknown man who promises him payment once the mission is completed.

That has seen fans call for the suspension of the goalkeeper but Shimanyula is having none of that, saying he cannot condemn the goalkeeper like everyone else online, when the authenticity of the clip cannot be ascertained.

“First of all, I am not a specialist to analyse whether it was a camera trick or if it's true,” Shimanyula told Mozzart Sport regarding the clip.

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“People are saying all manner of things, and yet there is not enough detail in that video. Until now, there is no idea of which game he was allegedly talking about, or even where he was.

“He remains innocent until proven guilty. Most times, people are in a hurry to judge, but not myself.”

Shimanyula insists the goalkeeper, who joined the club last month after leaving Kenya Police, has no case to answer and will continue with his duties at the club.

“No. We have no time for that if it did not happen here,” added Shimanyula when asked if the club will take any action on the player.

“When we acquired Matasi mid-season, there were already rumours everywhere about his conduct. But I am a believer in giving people second chances and our instruction to him was very clear. We wanted him to take his job here very seriously, and that is what he has done in the past month.

“I have this morning instructed the team manager and goalkeeper trainer to show him the video when he comes for training, and if true, ask him not to engage in such activities here.”

The Homeboyz supremo maintains that Matasi is one of the best goalkeepers in the country and the latest incident will not convince him otherwise, saying he will support the player even if the match-fixing claims turn out to be true.

“Even if it is true and it's clear it happened a while ago, he has a chance of changing,” Shimanyula further said.

“In our league, and even at Harambee Stars, he remains the best. No one, including those who played for the national team days ago, gets to his level. He remains part of our team.”

Football Kenya Federation has already opened investigations into the claims although the goalkeeper is still a free man and might be involved this weekend when Homeboyz take on KCB in an FKF Premier League match on Sunday.