Stars fine without me: Amrouche
Harambee Stars head coach Adel Amrouche (centre) shares a light moment with players. Striker Dennis Oliech and goalkeeper Arnold Origi have been ruled out of Kenya’s crucial Africa Cup of Nations 2015 preliminary qualifier against Lesotho. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- Amrouche who spoke for the first time since he was handed a 12-month ban by the Confederation of African Football due to bad conduct Wednesday said he has already spent enough time with team ahead of the match adding that his assistants will do just fine at Kasarani.
- The coach expressed optimism that his charges will overturn the one goal deficit.
Troubled Harambee Stars coach Adel Amrouche is confident that his absence will not affect the team in Sunday’s crucial Africa Cup of Nation preliminary round return leg qualifier match against Lesotho.
Amrouche who spoke for the first time since he was handed a 12-month ban by the Confederation of African Football due to bad conduct Wednesday said he has already spent enough time with team ahead of the match adding that his assistants will do just fine at Kasarani.
“I do not want to talk much about the ban at the moment, but if you ask me how it will affect the team, I can say it won’t affect much,” Amrouche said.
“I’m confident they will do well with my assistants. The players are professionals and they understand the enormity of the task at hand,”
Amrouche said. The coach also pleaded innocent over the Caf sentence. “I swear before God, I did not spit on the match official and I trust justice will prevail. I hope the Caf disciplinary system will prove me right when they look at the appeal.”
OLIECH IS IMPORTANT
It was during the briefing at the team’s Kasarani Stadium training base that Amrouche also appeared to soften his hard-line stance against striker Dennis Oliech saying he “had no problem” with the player.
“Oliech is an important player to the team. Personally, I have no problem with him. He broke camp rules and the decision I took was only a disciplinary measure. All I want is discipline in the team,” he said adding Oliech will not play on Sunday as his French club AC Ajaccio declined to release him.
The coach expressed optimism that his charges will overturn the one goal deficit. “The game is very crucial and the team is taking it seriously. We are in a bad situation and we must score two goals,” he said.
Assistant coaches James Nandwa and Ken Odhiambo took the players through their paces. Those present included goalkeepers Jerim Onyango, Wilson Oburu, Wycliffe Kasaya and defenders James Situma, Stephen Ocholla, Brian Osumba, Geoffrey Kataka, Aboud Omar, Clifton Miheso, David Owino and David Ochieng.
