FKF set to unveil Harambee Stars coach

Kenyan

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Written by Robin Toskin | The Standard | August 28, 2012

"The hunger that has hope for its satisfaction does not kill," so goes an African proverb.

Such is the hunger for football success that on Tuesday; Football Kenya Federation (FKF) will take a leap of faith to unveil reputed Frenchman Henri Michel as Harambee Stars coach.

Michel guided France to third place at Mexico ‘86; two years after winning Olympic gold medal and left an indelible print in Morocco by guiding the Atlas Lions to the 1998 World Cup in his home country.

Despite FKF's guarded silence over who is to be named coach, chairman Sam Nyamweya conceded it will be a Frenchman.

"He matches FKF's and the Kenyans' aspirations. We listen to Kenyans. And when the people speak you have to pay attention. Whoever we will unveil, webelieve will galvanise us all as a country so we can tap into the abundant talent," Nyamweya said.


"After sifting through two thick files of applications, of which over 60 were European coaches we felt we had our man. Not because the others are not good, but because we believe he can meet our targets for now," Nyamweya said.

Asked if FKF would afford Michel's salary because of his hugely impressive CV, should he be named coach, Nyamweya said tongue-in-cheek, "cheap is expensive" before adding:

"It does not have to be Michel for us to worry about huge salaries. To have a coach of the highest calibre calls for hard work on our part and that is why we invite corporate partners to share in our vision which if it succeeds it will be their success also."

Opinion is divided as to whether Kenya needs a foreign coach. Callers to KTN Sports Final programme on Saturday said more money should be put into youth development instead of hiring an expensive coach. However, some also said there was need for a coach of high pedigree who could command respect among players.

Top government officials led by the Prime Minister Raila Odinga will grace the occasion together with Sports Minister Paul Otuoma and Harambee Stars sponsors East Africa Breweries Limited.

Michel will have the tough task of helping the national team bounce back to winning ways after a poor run of results. His immediate task will be to prepare the team for the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup.

But more importantly lay the foundation for Kenya's football by overseeing the growth of all national teams.
 
French wine welcomes new man Michel

Michel+px.jpg


Former France football coach Henri Michel takes Cote d'Ivoire players through the paces during a training session.

By ODINDO AYIEKO oayieko@yahoo.co.uk
Posted Tuesday, August 28 2012 at 20:56


In Summary


  • Five-star cocktails toasted as FKF invite coach at the Intercontinental
  • At position 126, Kenya is at its worst ranking and it will be Michel's work to take the country back the top
  • Michel was picked from over 60 foreign coaches who applied for the job.

New Harambee Stars coach, Frenchman Henri Michel, was unveiled at a colourful evening cocktail ceremony at the Nairobi Intercontinental Hotel on Tuesday, as he took over the mantle to lead the national football team.


But he will realise that the task ahead will not be as tasteful as the French wine served by the five star hotel's staff last night.

For the next three years, if he manages to stay that long, Michel will tread on a bumpy and murky path as he struggles to uplift the country's football which is at its lowest ebb.

He came with a promise and Kenyans are expecting him to deliver.

"We welcome you to Kenya. It's a great country but the 30 million plus Kenyans are now looking to you to rebuild the country's football," Kenya Federation chairman Sam Nyamweya told the former French national coach on his arrival.

Excitement

Michel was unveiled as a new product in the market, colourfully, with almost the entire football fraternity and sorority represented, with the government and the corporate world also in attendance.

Excitement permeated as everyone at last evening's event believing he is a fresh breath of life that Kenyan football so badly needed, a departure from the past where local coaches have done nothing but failed the national team.

At position 126, Kenya is at its worst ranking and it will be Michel's work to take the country back the top.

"I do not envy the burden you carry ahead of you, but you have our support," Sports minister Paul Otuoma said.

Michel was picked from over 60 foreign coaches who applied for the job that became vacant after Francis Kimanzi was redeployed.

He comes at a time when Kenya is already out of the race for the 2013 African Cup of Nations and on the exit door in the race for a ticket to the 2014 World Cup.

He brings a lot of experience to Kenya and many hope he will stay to succeed as he has elsewhere.

Michel managed the French national team in 1984 guiding the gold medal at the Olympics and the third place at the 1986 World Cup.

He knows the rugged terrain of African football having been in the continent for two decades now since he first coached Cameroon in 1994.

French wine welcomes new man Michel- Football|nation.co.ke
 
I believe too much money wasted in hiring a world class coach would have been better spent in hiring a middle level coach and the rest invested in developing talent, after all Fabisch was not world renown and his stint is still memorable.
 

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