Jackline Juma, the first female head coach of a men's team in Kenya's top division, says 'gender should not be a barrier' in football.
Jackline Juma is making history as the first woman to coach a men's team in Kenya's top flight - but is still having to cope with sexism on the touchline.
She names Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti and Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta as her inspirations in the dugout, and aims to implement a dominant possession-based style. She garnered extensive experience with several women's clubs and Kenya's Under-20 women before the call from Nairobi-based Talanta came.
"After her first session, how she handled it, we could feel that she was really qualified for the job," Kuta told BBC Sport Africa. Talanta finished 15th in the 18-team top flight last season and several male coaches with similar qualifications expressed interest in taking charge."We wanted a coach not only for immediate results but who can grow with our players," he told BBC Sport Africa."It wasn't an easy decision to make, but Jackline was qualified and we wanted to challenge the boys."Juma's appointment has also given her a greater platform to call for fairness between the sexes and equal pay.
But Juma is clear that this is just the beginning of what needs to be a broader movement, having experienced gender bias during her rise through the sport.
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