Why FKF-Amrouche dispute is far from over

Former Harambee Stars coach Adel Amrouche arrives for a past match. PHOTO | FILE |

What you need to know:

  • Amrouche has appealed against Fifa’s ruling directing FKF to pay him Sh60 million for terminating his contract in May 2014.
  • The Algerian-born Belgian, who was named Stars coach in February 2013, penned a new five-year deal in January 2014 which would have seen him take home Shs2.5 million per month.

The push and pull between Football Kenya Federation and former Harambee Stars coach Adel Amrouche is far from over.

Amrouche, who led Stars to the 2013 Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup glory, has now appealed against Fifa’s ruling directing FKF to pay him Sh60 million for terminating his contract in May 2014.

The Algerian-born Belgian, who was named Stars coach in February 2013, penned a new five-year deal in January 2014 which would have seen him take home Shs2.5 million per month.

Through his lawyer Vitus Derungs, the Belgian lodged a claim with Fifa’s Player Status Committee on March 4, 2016 demanding Sh132 million and an additional Sh5 million compensation for wrongful dismissal.

Judge Geoff Thompson on January 25 this year directed FKF to pay the 50-year-old, within 30 days, the Sh60 million plus 5 percent per annum of the said amount as from March 4, 2016 until the date of the end of his deal (January 2019).

“The Respondent, Football Kenya Federation has to pay to the Claimant, Adel Amrouche, within 30 days as from the date of notification of the present decision compensation for breach of contract in the amount of Shs60 million plus 5% interest per annum on said amount as from 4 March 2014 until the date of effective payment,” read the ruling seen by Nation Sport.

“I am going to make more from my appeal. The federation never helped me when I was banned by Caf despite being innocent,” Amrouche, who was slapped with a one-year ban in May 2014 for allegedly spitting on a match official when Kenya visited Comoros in an Afcon qualifier, told Nation Sport on Wednesday.

“I came to Kenya in February 2016 to find an amicable solution with the new federation and we agreed on everything but they never contacted me thereafter prompting me to reach out to Fifa,” added Amrouche.

“Instead, they put in the media that I turned down their offers. No one from FKF contacted me officially to come negotiate the deal even recently.”

'NOT HONEST'

Reached for comment, FKF president Nick Mwendwa accused the former Stars coach of dishonesty.

“Amrouche is not a coach you can engage in terms of a working relationship. We’ve reached out to him thrice for the job but he refused,” said Mwendwa.

“When we came into office in 2016, we invited him here (Nairobi) and offered him a three-year contract as the technical director. He took off.”

“The second time was before we hired Paul Put. We contacted him with an aim of giving him the national team coach on condition that he drops the case but he declined and recently when Put left, we sought for his services but he insisted to be paid the Sh60 million first. Where can we get it now?”

“We’ve appealed to Fifa as well but from our side, we’ve moved on from Amrouche.”