Former FC Talanta midfielder Augustine Kuta is quietly transforming Kenyan football by creating a platform that keeps unattached players active, visible and hopeful through his Kuta Collections FC initiative which offers a second chance to careers that risk fading away.
For many footballers in Kenya, the most difficult battle is not played inside the stadium but outside it.
It begins the moment a contract ends, when phone calls about interest from another club stop coming and training sessions become personal routines in empty fields. Talented players who once competed at the highest level suddenly find themselves without clubs, without income and without a clear path forward.
In a football ecosystem where short-term contracts and uncertainty are common, many careers quietly fade away before players reach their full potential.
Augustine Kuta turning personal struggle into a solution
Kuta who has played for FC Talanta, Mathare United, Nairobi City Stars and Kisumu Hotstars, understands this struggle better than most having experienced the instability that comes with football careers.
But he has refused to watch fellow players go through the same pain without support. Instead, he decided to create a platform that would keep unattached players active, fit and ready for the next opportunity that comes their way.
That vision led to the formation of Kuta Collections FC, a non-league side built under his sports merchandise brand, Kuta Collections. The initiative was designed to offer unattached players a place to train, compete and maintain match fitness while waiting for another opportunity.
What started as a simple idea has slowly grown into a strong support system for players trying to rebuild their careers and remain relevant in the game.
Kuta says the inspiration behind the project came from his own experience and the lack of career continuity in Kenyan football.
“The reason why I decided to come up with this is because when I was still playing, I noticed there is no continuity in terms of career growth of footballers in the country.
Once a player gets a team, they are not guaranteed that in the next transfer window they will still be in that team or get another team,” Kuta explained in an interview with FKF TV.
Balancing his sports business and managing the team, Kuta has created more than just a football club. He has built a space where players can train together, support each other and stay motivated despite the uncertainty surrounding their careers.
How initiative is restoring hope among players
Team captain Morgan Oduor, formerly of FKF National Super League side Naivas FC, believes the initiative has restored belief among players who were slowly losing hope.
“It has not been easy, it has been tough, but I thank people like Kuta for providing such a platform for unattached players like us to showcase our talents.
I have heard many people call us a team of rejects, but you can’t say that because looking at the set of players that we have, there is a lot of quality. It is just that a majority of us have been unlucky. Looking at all the players, I see people who refused to give up,” Oduor said.
His words reflect the reality many players face being labeled as finished, rejected or even being told to retire despite having the ability to compete at a high level.
Fairytale qualifications: Kuta Collections only non-league side to qualify for the Round of 16 FKF Cup pic.twitter.com/uWUmvaVZGB
The emotional and financial struggles of life without a club
Former Nairobi United and Mathare United defensive midfielder Boaz Maeri also shared the emotional and financial struggles that come with being without a club.
“It has been very tough because when you are trying to get your form back, you realize you don’t have a team and you are not getting paid, so you struggle in life and also in your career. It becomes difficult, but all in all we try to find our way out. I am grateful to Kuta for coming up with this project which we will push so that we can get teams.”
For goalkeeper Mustapha Oduor, who recently featured for Murang’a SEAL in the ongoing SportPesa League season, joining Kuta Collections FC was about staying ready and focused while waiting for another opportunity.
“Kuta is a player I have played with at Mathare United and FC Talanta, so he knows me well and understands me. When he told me about this initiative, I decided to join and wait for what’s to come. If I get a team, it will be a good opportunity because this is a place that helps us stay fit,” he noted.
Support from Elias Makori and Pura Vida Sports Africa
The initiative has also attracted support from seasoned sports journalist Elias Makori, who came on board through his consultancy, Pura Vida Sports Africa, to sponsor the team and facilitate their FKF Cup participation.
“There was a time Augustine Kuta was recovering from an injury and we were together at Nation FC. After leaving Nation Media Group in June 2024, I wanted to keep myself busy.
Last year he told me about Kuta Collections, and this year I decided to come on board and sponsor the team through my consultancy, Pura Vida Sports Africa. I paid the registration fee for the FKF Cup in January and that is how we entered the tournament,” Makori explained.
Makori believes their participation in Cup competition has given the players the exposure they desperately need, especially after the team eliminated league sides Al Azizia and KSG Ogopa to reach the Round of 16.
“The FKF Cup has been a very good platform for us because the essence of this team is to give unattached and young players a platform to showcase their talents so that they can be seen. It is about visibility for the players and the brand,” he noted.
He further revealed that several players are already attracting international interest with opportunities beginning to open up beyond Kenya.
“I have already received interest from clubs in Europe. There are four players I am working on to go to France and the Netherlands for trials and two players have interest from Japan. From the first two games alone, six players might get a chance to go abroad and possibly land good contracts,” Makori revealed.
As the project continues to grow, Kuta Collections FC is slowly becoming more than just a temporary training ground for unattached players.
It is turning into a bridge between lost opportunities and new beginnings, giving footballers a chance to stay in the game when the odds are stacked against them.
In a football environment where many careers quietly disappear due to lack of support and structure, Augustine Kuta’s initiative is offering something rare hope, a second chance and a reason for players to keep believing in their dreams.
