If you ever thought that witchcraft in football is a myth then you're bound to change your perception once you get to hear about Posta Rangers goalkeeper trainer Joseph Ruto's close brush with death in Tanzania.
One of the most sought after goalkeepers of his era, Ruto's professional career abroad ended prematurely after a close female friend warmed him to terminate his contract with Kagera Sugar FC in the Tanzanian Premiership as soon as he could if he still cherished his dear life.
Ruto says he had been plagued by an illness that took away his appetite as his health deteriorated, fast.
"I simply didn't feel like eating anything. If by any chance I happened to consume anything I would throw up at once," says Ruto.
Left with no option, Ruto heeded the friend's advice and left Tanzania. Interestingly, something unusual happened on his way back to Kenya. Ruto regained his appetite as soon as he crossed over to Kenya.
"I became extremely hungry and went for snacks straight away when the driver pulled over at the border," says Ruto.
The woman later told him that he had been bewitched.
"When I arrived in Tanzania, I consolidated my position as the first-choice goalkeeper. This development solicited envy and jealousy from my goalkeeping teammates and I believe they were behind my woes," he says.
Born on May 10, 1978, Ruto attended Our Lady of Victories Primary School, Subukia. While there, he started his football career as a striker but his meteoric rise in the sport immediately put him at loggerheads with his headteacher who felt he was wasting a lot of time on the pitch when he was supposed to be studying.
"I was the only one selected from our school to join the district select team and my constant absenteeism, owing to practice, rubbed our headteacher the wrong way, so he stopped me from attending any further sessions," reveals Ruto.
It was not until a year after he had completed his education at Lake Nakuru Secondary School that he got a real opportunity to cut his teeth in football.
"I was 19 when a friend who had seen me in action and got impressed with my performance introduced me to Spin Knit, a lower-tier side in Nakuru," he says.
After turning out for the side for six months, he got an opportunity to join Kenya Navy, for who he turned out for two seasons.
His trip to Nairobi to look for a job in 2001 left him without a club for close to seven months until a friend again took him to Nairobi Provincial League outfit Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) where he emerged the top scorer that season.
It wasn't long before his brother asked him if he was keen on joining a newly formed corporate firm in Thika that was recruiting casual workers. Ruto jumped at the chance and travelled alongside his brother all the way to Thika.
One day as he strolled the streets of Thika, Ruto heard some noise coming from the neighbourhood which aroused his curiosity. He quickly went to find out what it was all about and was relieved to find a football match going on between Beirut FC and a local opponent.
After striking a rapport with Beirut squad members, Ruto found out that the team lacked a reliable goalkeeper.
Although he had never featured as one, Ruto always savoured being a goalkeeper and had occasionally tried to fit in that position during his formative years in primary school.
He accepted the challenge and threw himself in the deep end during their next match. He gave out his best performance and surprisingly managed to keep a clean that day and in the subsequent matches.
In between, Ruto would travel back to Nairobi to feature for CBK. It wasn't long before Beirut landed a sponsorship deal from a Thika-based Italian pharmaceutical firm, Medisca, who agreed to meet their expenses in the league.
Although Ruto still had a running contract with CBK in Nairobi, Medisca's deal was just too good to be thrown out of the window.
"They offered me accommodation and money for my upkeep, so I decided to settle down at Thika and concentrate on my football career," said Ruto.
Beirut was later renamed Thika Medisca FC and they went on to gain promotion to the National Super League after three seasons in the Aberdares lower tiers.
Ruto's splendid performance in the NSL attracted the attention of Tusker FC coaches Dino Kitavi and Henry Motego, who drafted him to the side to compete for space with Victor Onyango and Wilson Oburu.
So successful was he with the Brewers that he clinched two Kenyan Premier League titles and a Cecafa Club Championship trophy in 2008. It was during that period that he was called up to the national team, Harambee Stars to deputise Francis Onyiso, who had picked an injury.
It is his exceptional exploits at the Cecafa tournament that landed him a deal at Kigera Sugar, Tanzania. As aforementioned, his stint with Kigera ended prematurely after he returned home following an illness.
"Once I had fully recovered, coach Yusuf Chipo invited me to join Bandari where I stayed for two seasons," says Ruto.
He then crossed over to Nairobi City Stars at the invitation of coach Ken Odhiambo. His star was on the rise and soon, Posta Rangers coach David Ouma came knocking on his door and Ruto joined him to join the mailmen for a season.
Ruto thereafter landed a deal with Mathare United where he plied trade under coach Salim Ali before Stanley Okumbi took the helm later. Due to financial troubles at Mathare United, Ruto was loaned to Ezekiel Akwana's Mahakama for six months.
He later found his way back to Mathare but it wasn't long before coach John Kamau, then with Thika United offered him an opportunity to join his technical bench as a goalkeeper trainer.
"Okumbi was livid. I was the first choice custodian and he was not willing to let me go. However, after reasoning out with him and considering the financial situation at Mathare, he allowed me to go," says Ruto.
"Luckily, I had done some coaching courses with Francis Kimanzi at Kenya Institute of Soccer Education and I was definitely ready for a career as a goalkeeper trainer," he adds.
Ruto joined Posta Rangers in 2018 as soon as Lawrence Webo left for AFC Leopards by which time Thika United had been relegated from the Kenyan Premier League and disbanded.
Fondly known among his peers as 'Msanii' due to his interest in Tanzanian 'Bongo Flava' music, Ruto has nurtured some big names in Kenyan football including the current Posta Rangers custodian Jairus Adirah, Levis Opiyo (Gor Mahia) and Samuel Owiny (formerly with KCB).
He advises those keen on pursuing a career in goalkeeping to put on a brave face and be ready to bear the brunt and carry the burden anytime their team is beaten.
"One has to be courageous enough to be a goalkeeper. You need to know that goalkeepers always end up being blamed anytime the team loses a match. One also needs to be more hardworking than other players. You should arrive for training much earlier to have more time for personal growth."