Kimanzi 'could take charge of Stars' in India opener
What you need to know:
- Football Kenya Federation on Thursday insisted that Migne has alongside his first assistant Nicolas Bourriquet and goalkeeping coach Guillaune Coffy yet to receive Visas to travel to India for this assignment.
Francis Kimanzi could be in charge of Kenya's opening game of the Hero International Cup against New Zealand.
This international friendly is primed for the Mumbai Football Arena in India on Saturday, and the Mathare United coach is set to step in at the dugout in the wake of Harambee Stars coach Sebastien Migne's absence.
Football Kenya Federation on Thursday insisted that Migne has alongside his first assistant Nicolas Bourriquet and goalkeeping coach Guillaune Coffy yet to receive Visas to travel to India for this assignment.
The three were still in Nairobi by Thursday evening raising eyebrows on how the rest of the travelling contingent including Kimanzi managed to receive their travel documents before the coaches.
"For now, Kimanzi is in charge of the team and we are confident in his capacity to train and manage the boys until the coach links up with the team," said Barry Otieno, FKF's media officer.
Besides leading Mathare to an impressive fourth place in the SportPesa Premier League standings after 16 games this season, Kimanzi is also coach of the Under-23 national team whom he led to a 2-1 away win over Uzbekistan in an international friendly last month.
He last managed Stars almost a decade ago ago, guiding the team to the final of the 2008 Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup final in Uganda, plus steering through an impressive run in the 2010 Africa Nations Cup and World Cup qualifiers.
Under Migne and Kimanzi, Stars defeated Equatorial Guinea 1-0, and lost by a similar margin to Swaziland in other friendly matches played last week.
Meanwhile, six other players, including Zambia based duo Clifton Miheso and John Makwatta, plus midfielder Kenneth Muguna left Nairobi on Thursday to bolster the 15 players who departed for Mumbai on Wednesday.
Besides New Zealand, Kenya will also play the hosts and Chinese Taipei in this four-nation tournament on June 4 and 8 respectively.
The top two teams at the end of the round robin matches will meet in the final to determine the tournament winners.
