By Mohammed Allie BBC Sport, Cape Town

Kenya's Musa Otieno, a key player in South African club Santos recent success

Kenya's Musa Otieno can hadly believe the turn around he has seen at his South African club Santos in the last 6 years.

When the defender joined the side back in the 1997/98 season they were struggling against relegation, and now in the last three seasons they have won a league title and two cup competitions.

"With the way we were struggling to avoid relegation even until the last game of my first season with Santos, I could never have imagined that we could become so successful a few years later," the Kenyan captain told BBC Sport.

Otieno is the only player who has stayed at the club since that traumatic season.

Santos wasn't seen as one of the top clubs in South Africa when he first joined, but he was determined to play in what many regard as the most competitive league in Africa.

Winning three trophies in two seasons was a major boost for us. Musa Otieno

"I joined Santos from Kenya Breweries which is one of the biggest clubs in Kenya, but for me it was just a matter of being patient," the lanky 29 year-old said.

"Through the hard work and commitment of our chairman, Goolam Allie, and the supporters of the club we have made tremendous progress.

"Winning three trophies in two seasons was a major boost for us.

"We are definitely not the small team we were three years ago - we are among the top clubs in the country now," he adds.

Otieno, who is regarded as one of the best players in the Premier Soccer League, believes the large number of African players in the South African league have improved the quality of the game in the country.

Sundowns made me a very good offer... but I'm very happy with Santos. Musa Otieno

"Most of the foreigners playing are experienced internationals bring an extra dimension to their teams."

And Otieno's role in Santos' recent success hasn't gone unnoticed, with several other clubs now trying to sign him, including former champions Sundowns and Hellenic.

"Sundowns made me a very good offer at the end of last season and Andre Arendse, our former goalkeeper, who moved to them at the beginning of the season was very keen for me to join him.

"But I am settled in Cape Town and also I'm very happy with Santos, " he said

Otieno would like to continue playing until the age of 34 after which he hopes to return to Kenya to make use of his considerable footballing experience.

"I've set up the Musa Otieno Foundation which is looking after under 14 footballers in Kenya.

" I'm hoping to take back the knowledge that I'm picking up in South Africa to my community in Kenya.

Otieno hopes to lead Kenya to Nations Cup glory

"I would also like to do what Jomo Sono has done by returning home to start my own team."

And while things are looking much brighter on the field for Otieno, it's gone the same way off it too, especially after his wife Joan and two children, Michelle (5) and Desailly (3) joined him in Cape Town three years ago.

"It's wonderful to come home after training and matches to my wife and children. In the first few years it was very difficult when we were struggling because I had no-one to share my disappointments with," he says.

Otieno is sure to be a key figure for Kenya at next month's Nations Cup in Tunisia, where they play Senegal, Burkina Faso and Mali in Group B.