Robert Matano: 'The Lion' with nine lives

He is forthright, combative, and comes across as  brash, something that has served to cement his nickname “The Lion.”

His pitchside instructions to his players are akin to a commander issuing orders to troops in the battlefield.

To his credit, he is the most successful coach in the local league, having won titles with two different clubs (Sofapaka FC in 2009, and Tusker FC in 2012, 2020 and 2021).

Continental titles have eluded him. Tusker FC, the team he coaches, came closest to winning a continental title in 1994 when the team,  then known as Kenya Breweries, lost 5-2 to DC Motema Pembe of Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) in the final of Africa Cup Winners Cup (Mandela Cup). That was 20 years ago.

Matano played in the late 70s for Abeingo FC and Nakuru Youth Olympic in Nakuru, Nairobi’s Hakati Sportiff and Mombasa’s Kenatco FC as central defender, before joining AFC Leopards in early 80s in the top-tier league. 

His contemporaries were Josphat ‘Controller’ Murila, Mickey ‘T9’ Weche, J.J Masiga, and Wilberforce Mulamba ‘Maradona.’

But it is during his coaching career that he has lent colour to Kenyan football. On Monday, he ranted over “bias” officiating in matches between Tusker FC and Gor Mahia a day after the brewers had lost 1-0 to Gor in a high-stakes league match played at Moi International Sports Centre (MISC) Kasarani.

The goal scored by Benson Omala in the 21st minute elicited a lot of reactions since the striker was offside when he received the ball from midfielder Patrick Sibomana.

Now, the 59-year-old Matano has demanded that referee Meshack Kobilo, who officiated the match be banned from football “for robbing his team twice” - first when Tusker lost 2-1 to Gor in the first leg encounter last season, and last Sunday.

"We don't want a Gor Mahia fan to be in charge of our matches. He (Kobilo) must be banned from football,” Matano maintained on Monday.

Ahead of last Sunday’s match against Gor,  Matano dismissed an ultimatum by Tusker FC Chief Executive Officer Charles Gacheru who ordered the team’s technical bench to   win the match or face the sack.

“Matano and the entire technical bench have to beat Gor Mahia this weekend (last weekend). They will leave the club in case of a draw or a loss. They will be fired,” vowed Gacheru.

In an interview with Nation Sport, the veteran coach dared Gacheru to fire him.
“I don’t succumb to threats,” he quipped. Thirteen-time Kenyan champions Tusker have had a slow start to the season, only winning two matches, drawing two and losing three.

Journalists, fans and fellow coaches have also encountered his combative nature.
After his team Tusker lost 1-0 to Shabana on October 6, a section of Tusker FC fans confronted Matano, demanding to know why they lost to the Kisii-based team which has only been promoted back to the top league this season after being in the wilderness for 17 years.

The veteran coach took them head-on, saying: “Which position did I play? I’m talking to you. Listen to me, talk to those players.”

In April, Matano clashed on the touchline with coach Patrick Aussems who was in charge of AFC Leopards at the time in an ill-tempered match.  The Belgian had held onto a throw-in ball a moment longer when Tusker were pushing for a quick throw-in, angering Matano who crossed over to Aussems’ box and shoved him.

The two were seperated by their assistants. Tusker won the match 1-0, and Aussems and Matano had an another altercation after the final whistle.

“Unfortunately, we have been punished at the last minute due to lack of aggressiveness! Congrats to the players of Tusker. Of course I won’t talk about an old coach with no international experience who is more a dju dju man than a tactician… one could learn!” Aussems wrote on X, formerly Twitter,  afterwards.
Matano did not take the comments lying down.

“I will not leave anything and since he promised me a fight in town, I’m ready for him. What I will not allow to go unpaid for at whatever cost is claims that I use witchcraft to win matches. That one he has to prove in hell, heaven or on earth. He has to, and I must get an answer,” said an angry Matano.

“I’m a Kenyan and because he thinks he is a foreigner, he thinks he can come here and speak trash about me at home. I will not report his threats to police but mark my words, Aussems will have to prove to me how I win matches using witchcraft. I will not leave him. I just restrained myself because I’m not the Matano of yesteryears.  If it were then, maybe we would be talking about a different thing now,” he said.

On April 13, Matano threatened to sue Aussems for branding him “an old coach who used witchcraft more than tactics to win his football matches.”

“Further by calling our client a dju dju man, you insinuated that our client is a witch, sorcerer, evil, black magician, warlock and /or practices black magic, especially for evil purposes. The said statement is false and malicious and only meant to stain his good reputation as he is a highly respected coach not just in Kenya but in East Africa. Our client is a national hero with a rich profile both as a footballer and a coach filled with success,” Matano’s lawyers said in a statement.

The matter died down quietly.

On July 12, 2022 after guiding Tusker to their 13th league title following a 2-0 win over Posta Rangers at Ruaraka Grounds, Matano threatened to quit, citing disrespect from individuals in the team.

“I am a coach who knows what he is doing. I don’t depend on luck so I am happy to have proved him wrong. There are times when a team is down and those are moments in football. I said the league is a marathon  and we will win but some people do not respect or trust me,” he said.

And in a video that went viral after his lost 2-1 to Gor Mahia in a league match to Gor Mahia last season, a furious Matano scoffed at a journalist who had put him to task to explain whether the loss had jeopardised his team’s hopes of winning the league title.

“I don’t know,  stop asking me stupid questions,” Matano scoffed.

Having won four league titles locally, upcoming coaches look up to him.

His players also look up to him, with some saying he is like father to them. On his final match as a Tusker player on December 13, 2021, winger Boniface Muchiri described the coach as the pillar to his career.

In a short farewell ceremony at Ruaraka Grounds, an emotional Matano presented Muchiri with a team jersey signed by his team mates. Muchiri’s name and jersey number (seven) was printed on the back of the jersey.

“I thank coach Matano because he has built me both physically and mentally. He has shown me how to play football for business and titles. I am so happy to have played under him because he has also been like a parent to me. Apart from football, he would create time just to give us advice about life. He is a man that if you listen to then you can achieve a lot in life,” said the Ulinzi Stars player.

At the time, Matano said: “It is an emotional meant for me because I brought him into the team and we have been together since then. He is like a son to me.”
On Matano’s birthday on October 10, Ulinzi's player Brian Birgen heaped praises on the coach.

"Happy birthday to the man who gave me the platform to showcase my talent. Believed in me when very few believed in me, you’ll always stand out above the rest gaffer, enjoy your day Lion and May God bless you always," Birgen posted on X.

In another instance where Mtano showed his soft side, during the FKF-PL award gala on September 14, 2021 at Safari Park Hotel in Naiorbi , Matano invited his wife Carol onto the podium to receive the Coach of the Year Award which he had won.

On May 20, Matano dedicated Tusker’s 1-0 win over Ulinzi Stars in the first semi-final of the Mozzart Bet Cup  to his defender Daniel Sakari, who at the time had lost his father.

“In fact we played for him (Sakari). He is a dependable player and it is sad for the team so all of us are mourning .We are one family,” said the “Lion” then after the match held at Nyayo National Stadium.