Frenchman takes over as Harambee Stars coach
Football Kenya Federation President Nick Mwendwa (right) with newly appointed Harambee Stars head coach Sebastian Migne (left) at a Nairobi hotel on May 3, 2018. PHOTO | KANYIRI WAHITO |
What you need to know:
- Migne replaces Belgian Paul Put who quit in February after only three months in charge.
- Kenya is currently ranked 113 out of 211 nations on the Fifa rankings.
Frenchman Sebastien Migne was on Thursday unveiled as the new Harambee Stars head coach on a three-year deal.
Migne replaces Belgian Paul Put who quit in February after only three-months in charge. Put has since been appointed the Guinea national team head coach.
The Frenchman, 45, was until recently coach of the Republic of Congo.
Football Kenya Federation President Nick Mwendwa (left) with newly appointed Harambee Stars head coach Sebastian Migne (right) at a Nairobi hotel on May 3, 2018. PHOTO | DAVID KWALIMWA |
The first assignment for Migne is to mastermind a return for Kenya to the Africa Cup of Nations after 14 years in the cold, amid a looming gigantic clash against Ghana's Black Stars in Nairobi come September.
Kenya is currently ranked 113 out of 211 nations on the Fifa rankings.
'2021 IS A MUST FOR ME'
Migne has set himself the target of ensuring that Harambee Stars qualify for the 2021 Africa Nations Cup set for Guinea. He will also manage the U-23 team through the 2020 Olympic Games qualifiers.
"If we qualify for the next (Africa Cup of Nations) Afcon, that's fine, but to play in this competition in 2021 is a must for me and Kenya," said Migne.
He will work with his own backroom staff which include assistant coach Nicholas Bourriquet. The rest are goalkeeping coach Guillame Coffy and Ludovic Breul who is an Osteopath.
Football Kenya Federation President Nick Mwendwa (right) with newly appointed Harambee Stars head coach Sebastian Migne (left) at a Nairobi hotel on May 3, 2018. PHOTO | KANYIRI WAHITO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
FKF president Nick Mwendwa, who unveiled the new tactician, confirmed that a local coach will soon be unveiled to work alongside this crew.
Kenya are on the back foot in a four-team race to qualify for the 2019 Africa Nations Cup, that also involves Ghana, Sierra Leone and Ethiopia.
Stars lost their opening match 2-1 to the Leone Stars in Free Town, Sierra Leone and are currently ranked third in the group.
RESIGNED IN CONGO
Only the top two teams are assured of qualification to the biannual continental competition set for Cameroon.
"It's a shame we lost the first game (to Sierra Leone) but everything is not lost," said Migne.
"I have to stress that I will live in Kenya. That's very important," said Migne. "We wanted someone who can appreciate when the lights go off, when the car doesn't arrive on time, or when we suddenly have to work on a water logged pitch," added Mwendwa.
"He will take us through the 2019 Africa Nations Cup qualifiers, the 2020 Olympics and importantly 2021 Africa Nations Cup."
Football Kenya Federation President Nick Mwendwa (right) with newly appointed Harambee Stars head coach Sebastian Migne (left) at a Nairobi hotel on May 3, 2018. PHOTO | KANYIRI WAHITO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Born in La Roche sur Yon in Western France, Migne's playing career includes a stint alongside two-time Africa Cup of Nations winning coach Herve Renard at Lens.
He thereafter learnt his trade during a seven-year spell as assistant coach to Claude Le Roy, when the 70-year old was in charge of Togo, Congo, DR Congo, Syria and Oman.
Migne won once in seven outings at the helm of Congo, a 2-0 triumph against Guinea Bissau before resigning last month, halfway through his two-year contract, citing poor working conditions.
