Hillary Echesa in action. [Photo/soka.co.ke]
Hillary Echesa, an accomplished journey-man and the most experienced player at Sofapaka, has hinted at retiring from football next year to venture into coaching.
The age-defying player holds the record of being the SportPesa Premier League (SPL) player to have had a big turnover of clubs in 19 years of tasting topflight action.
Echesa who turned 36 last September is like a fine wine which gets better with age having previously starred for a mind-boggling 14 teams among them Tanzanian giants Young Africans (Yanga) and Simba, Rayon Sport of Rwanda, PDRM of Malaysia and Chemelil Sugar, Ulinzi Stars and Sofapaka in the Kenyan domestic scene.
Echesa, a returnee at Sofapaka’s ranks, reckons that he is not growing any younger and as such, he has decided to leave the game to upcoming players and start practicing on coaching having secured a CAF Coaching Licence “C”.
‘’I have been in big-time football for almost two decades have started off with Chemelil in 1999. I have had a great career but most importantly, I have gained invaluable knowledge of the game and would wish to pass the same to younger players who are coming up really well in football,’’ said Echesa.
Surprisingly, Echesa who has had 37 caps with the national team is still serving Sofapaka under deputy coach John Baraza, a retired international, with whom he played with at Dar-Simba of Tanzania.
“For now I’m enjoying my time in Sofapaka and want to thank the team’s management led by President Elly Kalekwa for ensuring that players’incentives and salaries are paid in time. I want to reciprocate the gesture with a great show for the team before I hang my boots,” said Echesa.