Out with the Old, in with the Older

The coaching carousel, at the helm of Harambee Stars’ men’s team continues to turn. Francis Kimanzi, who has coached the Harambee Stars on several different occasions, has abruptly stepped down as head coach. His replacement, Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee, another man, who has himself been Harambee Stars head coach on multiple different occasions, has been announced barely 24 hours later.

At this point in time there has been no official communication from either parties about why Francis Kimanzi and his two top assistants stepped down. Mr. Kimanzi’s latest stint at the head coach position begun in the aftermath of Kenya’s recent elimination at the group stages of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. His last match was the recent 2-1 friendly match win against Zambia at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi

Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee returns an old haunt, as Harambee Stars head coach.

Kenya are presently in the middle of the qualifying phase of the next Africa Cup of Nations, with 2 points out of a possible 6, with a home and away double header against Comoros, followed by return matches against Togo and Egypt still to be played.

The new (or returning) head coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee’s high point as national team coach, was in his maiden campaign at the helm, in which he led Kenya to their first AfCON finals appearance in 14 years (2004) and also presided over the team at those finals, in which Kenya won their first ever match at an AfCON finals, a consolation 3-0 win over Burkina Faso.

Subsequent spells in charge of the national team were much less fruitful, partially because of the backdrop of the wrangling between what was then the KFF (Kenya Football Federation) and FKL (Football Kenya Limited). ‘Ghost’ Mulee, a goalkeeper in his playing days, has also spent a considerable amount of time doing TV punditry for Kenya Premier League matches with, SuperSport, KTN News and Radio Jambo. He also had a successful stint as head coach of Tusker FC.

November Re-Start of Kenyan Premier league

It looks like Kenya’s Top-flight football competition will begin a new season on 20th November 2020. A statement from the Football Kenya Federation says that the success of the Harambee Stars friendly with Zambia, and several clubs already ramping training was the reasoning behind setting a hard kick-off day for setting out of a starting date. The notice further added that the fixture list will be released on the 14th of October (tomorrow).

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The FKF press release

The last season of the premier league was curtailed in March, with Gor Mahia being declared as champions. Similarly, Nairobi City Stars and Bidco United were declared prompted, as the two teams that were leading the Nationwide league (second division) at the time football was curtailed. The premier league , then, known as the KPL has been rebranded as the Betking FKF-PL, following a restructuring of the management and the sourcing of a new lead sponsor (Nigerian betting company BetKing).

Having won several league titles in a row, it is obvious that defending Champions Gor Mahia go into this season as heavy favourites to win again. They will, however, face competition from the likes of Tusker FC, and perrenial rivals AFC Leopards.

Harambee Stars set for return to action

It’s almost time to celebrate the return of international football to Kenya.  CAF has published a condensed schedule of remaining AfCon qualifiers, and preliminary World Cup Qualifiers.

The first of these matches, are the home and away ties against Comoros, in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, the first of which will be on the 11th of November, behind closed doors in Nairobi. The second will be in Comoros a week later

So far FKF has managed to secure one friendly match (also behind closed doors), against Zambia, to be played in October, with various reports indicating that a second match might be in the works.

While the squad features the return of goalie Arnold Origi, after 5 years absence, Harambee Stars might have to do without captain Victor Wanyama, and on fire striker Michael ‘Engineer’ Olunga. Olunga is currently the leading scorer in the Japanese J-league. Both he and Wanyama are ruled out because of the strict COVID protocols involving people travelling in and out of the  nations where they are currently based

Arnold Origi ends a 5-year exile from Harambee Stars (Source: Citizen Digital)

The squad, as listed on Goal.com

Goalkeepers: Arnold Origi (HIFK, Finland), Ian Otieno (Zesco United, Zambia), Timothy Odhiambo (Ulinzi Stars, Kenya)

Defenders: Brian Mandela (Unattached), Joash Onyango (Simba, Tanzania), Joseph Okumu (Elfsborg, Sweden), Harun Shakava (Nkana, Zambia), Clarke Oduor (Barnsley, England), Hillary Wandera (Tusker, Kenya), Samuel Olwande (Kariobangi Sharks, Kenya), David Owino (Mathare United, Kenya), Johnstone Omurwa (Wazito, Kenya), Collins Shichenje (AFC Leopards, Kenya), Andrew Juma (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Philemon Otieno (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Badi Baraka (KCB, Kenya)

Midfielders: Kenneth Muguna (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Victor Wanyama (Impact Montreal, Canada), Francis Kahata (Simba, Tanzania), Eric Johanna (Jonkoping’s Sodra IF, Sweden), Cliff Nyakeya (Masr FC, Egypt), Antony Akumu (Kaiser Chief, South Africa), Johanna Omolo (Cercle Brugge K.S.V, Belgium), Ayub Timbe (Beijing Renhe, China), Brian Musa (Wazito, Kenya), Lawrence Juma (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Katana Mohamed (Isloch, Belarus), Austin Otieno (AFC Leopards, Kenya)

Forwards: Michael Olunga (Kashiwa Reysol, Japan), Elvis Rupia (AFC Leopards, Kenya), Masud Juma (JS Kabylie, Algeria), Timothy Otieno (NAPSA Stars, Zambia), John Avire (Tanta FC, Egypt), Oscar Wamalwa (Ulinzi Stars, Kenya

Reserve Team: Robert Mboya (Tusker, Kenya), Stephen Otieno (Sofapaka, Kenya), Michael Mutinda (KCB), Ibrahim Shambi (Ulinzi Stars, Kenya) Chrispinus Onyango (Tusker, Kenya), Benson Omala (Gor Mahia, Kenya).

Re-opening Kenyan Sports: The Way forward for Football

Over the course of the next few posts I will be reporting on the current state of play concerning Kenyan sports, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. I will be looking at how each sport has been affected, what is being done to mitigate plans to restart, and possibly what the new normal will look like. This first post will look at the football, the people’s sport.

The overall picture

When the Covid-19 pandemic reached Kenya, the government was quick to cancel public gatherings of more than 15 people. Football Kenya Federation, following from that cue then suspended and then curtailed football leagues all over the country. This also resulted in the indefinite suspension of all scheduled National team matches that were scheduled to be held in Kenya across all national teams.

Local leagues
Because the curtailment decision appears to have been taken of the heads of the Kenya Premier league Board, there is a case before the Sports Dispute Tribunal challenging its legality. The decision of the tribunal is expected at the end of this month.

Players from Tusker FC and AFC Leopards in action (Source: Goal.com)

At this point in time, with restrictions on public gatherings of various kinds still in force, FKF has a tentative resumption schedule of October for football leagues, with a 12 week transfer window leading up to November 2nd, for teams to reorganize and strengthen their teams. At this point in time, these plans are only tentative though, The Ministry of Sports has only spoken about re-starting ‘non-contact’ sports, with a task force currently their primary concern.

Even before this transfer window was opened, several clubs have already started to shake up their playing squads. KCB FC released 10 players, Gor Mahia lost three squad members to Wazito FC, and Tanzanian club Azam FC. They have signed Levis Opiyo (a goalie) from Nairobi City Stars)
The new league will proceed with a new corporate sponsor (Nigeria’s BetKing), and will see some 1.2 billion shillings, over the course of 5 years invested into the league.

Harambee Stars

As for the national teams, CAF has postponed the Africa Cup of Nations men’s edition to 2021, and cancelled the women’s edition altogether, in favour of a women’s club champions league. Harambee Stars, like most other men’s teams, had 4 qualifying matches pending to qualify for tej Cup of nations, and it remains to be seen how these will (if at all) be re-scheduled

Off the field

While so much attention is directed to the pandemic, it is easy to forget that the FKF is now almost a year overdue national elections. When the pandemic struck, there was an ongoing dispute over the nullification of national polls by the Sports Dispute Tribunal. The latest developments are that the FKF Electoral Board will publish a roadmap on August 11, to break the impasse. Whether stakeholders are willing to run with it remains to be seen.

SuperSport giving Kenya Premier League a Raw Deal — kogalonation

Do Kenyans realize that SuperSport began sponsoring the Kenya Premier League in 2007? The initial sponsorship was to last four years and cost more than Kshs. 360m, or $5.5. Afterwards, the broadcast right holder promised to spend more than $11m on KPL, which was to be twice what it first offered. The new deal was […]

via SuperSport giving Kenya Premier League a Raw Deal — kogalonation

What a man can (or can’t) do: Hongera Harambee starlets

And it it is, amidst the gloom of the floundering fortunes of the Harambee Stars, Kenya women’s national team, shone bright, qualifying for their first ever Africa Cup of nations.

This is a Milestone for Kenyan football and massive relief fro the  Nick Mwendwa FKF regime. They have been under fire from a media (probably still full of people loyal to the Ancien regime) over the poor state of the Harambee Stars.

I digress. This post is simply to pass my congratulations to the women who have shows that with some real support they can go very far, in what is still the very underdeveloped world of women’s football in Africa.

Why I Support Stanley Okumbi as #HarambeeStars head Coach Coach

The first major decision of the new FKF team has been made. The highly reputed Bobby Williamson has been relieved of his duties as Hrambee Stars coach and replaced by long time Mathare United tactician Stanley Okumbi.

Early reactions I am seeing on the inter webs are mostly negative, and downright critical of the decision. The basis, which I totally understand is that Mr. Okumbi is neither glamorous, neither does he have a trophy cabinet full of shiny medals and titles that are the normal expectation when hiring a national team coach.

However I think that because of the challenges that Football in Kenya has, not just Harambee Stars recent run of poor qualifying outcomes, Stanley Okumbi is the kind of coach who is best suited for the job right now.

Stanley Okumbi, in his days as Mathare United Coach (Source: The Star Newspaper)

 

His predecessor Bobby Williamson, a great coach by any standards, had come off taking Uganda Cranes too multiple CECAFA titles, and Gor Mahia to much silverware.

He was the kind of coach who you would normally expect to get such an assignment. Lots of trophies, foreign passport, etc. Yet in his tenure in the Stars coaching job was hardly the roaring success one would expect.

The reason for this is not because the man himself suddenly became a bad coach, it is because Harambee Stars have problems that cannot be fixed by the glamour of a famous coach. Harambee Stars problems are structural.

FKF has yet to implement clear program for player development, coach development, friendly fixtures and other supplementary issues that the coaches of major football powers take for granted, when they take on the job of coaching whatever national team they are in charge of.

For Harambee Stars coaches on the other hand, the modus Operandi is get a ‘name recognized’ superman and hope the man can work miracles in spite of the total lack of co-operation or direction from the administration.

Failure to which,  FKF blame that coach for everything wrong and repeat the process  with some other  superman coach, to somehow unilaterally work wonders.

Up till now it seems. By appointing someone whose background in football is from the most successful player development program in the country, the Mathare Youth Sports Association, FKF is signalling that they want to bring in people who know what it actually takes to holistically build a successful national team from the ground up.

Stanley Okumbi may not have a lot of trophies or medals, while guiding a seriously outgunned and inexperienced Mathare United team into mid table finishes in the Sport Pesa premier League. Yet I am sure that if you ask many of the players who have left Mathare United to greater glory with local, regional and international teams, many will tell you that his coaching is what laid the foundation for them to succeed as players.

I am not writing this post to play Devil’s advocate, I genuinely believe that Stanley Okumbi’s strengths are uniquely matched to the areas of weakness that Harambee Stars have as a team.

I also want to believe that as time goes on many people with similar youth football backgrounds, whether they are foreign or local, famous or not, will be added to coach our other national and youth teams, and that between them they can help FKF bring not just temporary success (winning the match or bahatishaing a small local trophy) but long term dominance of their opponents back to Harambee Stars.

In short Stanley Okumbi may not be the coach we want, he is the coach we need right now.

Change Comes to FKF, But Change to What?

Football Kenya Federation’s elections have come to a close. After a long drawn out process marked by the usual shenanigans with registration of Football clubs, delegates and so on, Nicholas Mwendwa emerged the new Chairman of Football Kenya Federation, while Incumbent Sam Nyamweya formally retired from football activities.

NIck Mwendwa basks in the glory of victory (Source: Daily Nation)

Standing at the head of the ‘Team Change’ slate that swept the board, winning majority of the FKF branch Chairmanships and NEC  positions, Nick Mwendwa and his allies were granted a powerful mandate to implement change in an organization in desperate need to break from  years of mediocrity and corruption.

Heck even the outgoing chair, himself elected on a platform of change, wound up covered in the graft which he was supposed to end.

So, what this blogger is wondering, is specifically what changes does team change intend to bring into FKF?

There is the unfinished business of the FKF-KPL standoff and what consequences it has on the teams, corporate sponsors and broadcast partners that have found themselves on either side of the standoff.

There is the continued neglect of women and youth football, and the absence of strategic direction of the men’s senior team. Harambee Stars remain the only team in the East Africa region who never seem to have anything lined up for FIFA sanctioned friendly match dates.

There is also the floundering, perhaps even ill advised efforts to bring the Africa Cup of Nations to the country.  If Team change decide that that is somethign still worth pursuing then, that would mean there has to be an overhaul of the football infrastructure in Kenya.

Most importantly  Mr. Mwendwa needs to show Kenyans that he  has taken FKF chairman post because wants to work  on building Kenyan fotball not just as a means to leverage himself into politics like so many of his predecessors.

All in all this blogger hopes that Team change can deliver on its promises to Kenyan football, and the FKF can become a beacon shining a light, not just for Kenyan football’s path to greatness, but to African football as a whole.

Déjà vu all over again: the FKF, KPL saga

Once again Kenyan football is making a whole bunch of negative headlines for itself. It seemed like a not-so-big-a-deal difference of opinion between the governing Football Kenya Federation, and the Kenya Premier League ltd, through which participating clubs manage the affairs of the Kenya Premier League.

Then it became a massive crisis threatening to grind domestic football to a halt, and putting Kenya’s football teams banned from FIFA activities again.

Sam Nyamweya, FKF’s supremo (Source: Michezoafrika)

On the one hand Football Kenya Federation wants an additional 2 teams added to the Kenyan Premier League. Perhaps it is to help get more fans involved, perhaps it’s a gimmick to shore up support ahead of October’s elections, or perhaps it’s something else.

KPL declined the ‘request’ because they felt it would mess the financial arrangements that they had with the sponsors. In any case such decisions ought to originate from the KPL itself.

FIFA came in to mediate, commissioned a report with recommendations, which it handed over to FKF, what with them being the body FIFA recognized. They were probably hoping that this report would guide a reconciliation that would allow them to go and worry about something else. Word on the street (nothing official has been released) indicate the recommendations side with KPL. That has not happened.

FKF then went ahead and launched the FKF Premier League, complete with a list of 18 teams, of. They then went and started tossing fines and suspensions at anyone working with KPL’s attempts to carry on regardless.

Here are some things that at I haven’t seen explored in the mainstream coverage of this saga

1. Bad Blood? The personalities in the center of this dispute are not colliding for the first time. When Kenya was last banned from FIFA activities, it was because KFF, then led by present FKF chief, Sam Nyamweya was at center of the crisis. Among other things, FIFA, backed by personalities now in KPL, was attempting to change the face of football administration in Kenya through the now dead Football Kenya Limited. Now the shoe appears to be on the other foot, as FKF appears hell bent on steamrolling over the KPL and anyone who sides with them

2. Bad Precedents? Over its tenure, in charge FKF has made a bad habit of intervening and overruling decisions of various bodies, in spite of their mandate to actually make those decisions. From overturning KPL, and IDAC decisions on disciplinary issues, to going over team the heads of national team coaches on squad selections. Could FKF’s decision making be the culmination of the contempt it shows the institutions it is supposed to be nurturing?

3. Bad Campaigning? Did i mention that the board of the FKF is up for re-election this October?. Maybe this is just a cynical mover to emasculate the only organization with the capacity to mobilize and follow through on the removal of Nyamweya’s team.

Whatever the real motivations for this crisis, it  certainly stinks of a  kind of brinkmanship that will take Kenyan football nowhere.

Whither, whether, or what for CECAFA Challenge Cup?

Two months ago a certain African football federation was thrown into turmoil when the host of their show piece event suddenly withdrew. While CAF moved with speed to save the Africa Cup of Nations, the body I’m talking about is the Confederation and East and Central African Football Associations, and the event in question is the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup.

Born as the Gossage Cup in the 1920s, the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup is the oldest running international football tournament on the African Continent, was due to be hosted in Ethiopia in its traditional November-December window.

Kenya’s Harambee Stars are the current defending champions, having won the 2013 edition as hosts. That year’s tournament had its own problems as FKF, struggled to mobilize funds to ensure all th hosting costs were met in good time. There was the embarrassment of a national team detained in a city hotel over unpaid bills.

Harambee Stars fans follow the action in a past Senior Challenge Cup (Source:Nation.co.ke)

After a number of behind the scenes efforts, CECAFA finally gave up (at least for this year) and the tournament was called off. Word spreading on several sports sites indicates that the tournament long overdue an overhaul and that nation were increasingly averse to hosting the show in its current format.

Apparently, some of CECAFA’s members want a home and away league system (like in the UEFA Champions League) with finalists playing each other at a neutral venue at the end of the year. Or something like that

If this reform carries through, it will pretty much eliminate the burden of one country having to host several teams and the delegations and fans, that apparently was the beef behind most of the CECAFA members dislike for the once off tournament format.

However, spreading the CECAFA tournament will have its draw backs. For instance, given that most of the time the players are involved in club football (home and abroad) and when that is not going on, World Cup and CAN Qualifiers, when will these matches be held?

Will there not likely be resistance from those clubs whose plates are already full with local league, and continental commitments? Asking them to allow their start players to commit to an additional ~22 (11 opponents x 2 games) during the competitive season might a bitter pi8ll to swallow. Not to mention issues of security, in countries like Somalia in particular. Will they host their won matches?

That being said, no actual changes have been announced, yet and in all likelihood, the promoters of change might not get the numbers to force anything at all through. Nonetheless, with this years’ Challenge Cup tournament off the books, and potential host showing cold feet, clearly things cannot go on as is.