Despite Migne’s low expectations, Stars could go beyond group stage
What you need to know:
- For the very first time the tournament will involve 24 teams, up from 16.
- This expanded edition will have a round of 16 that Kenya is can compete for.
IN CAIRO, EGYPT
Kenya’s Harambee Stars are notoriously poor competitors at the Africa Cup of Nations.
In their past five outings, Kenya have crashed out in the preliminary rounds and have only two wins to show from 15 matches played.
History, they say, repeats itself, and you would expect Stars, placed in Group “C” together with heavyweights Algeria and Senegal, and neighbours Tanzania, to once again lead the nations that will book an early plane home from Egypt.
But a look at history will also show that the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations is like no other.
For the very first time the tournament will involve 24 teams, up from 16. This expanded edition will have a round of 16 that Kenya is can compete for.
Again, history shows that Harambee Stars have always had poor build-ups to major assignments, marked by shoddy training arrangements and the tired old story of players staging a go slow over unpaid allowances.
This time round, the best funded Harambee Stars in history, chiefly courtesy of a government grant of Sh240 million, has had no such issues.
It is now up to them to perform under calm but opinionated French coach Sebastien Migne, who took over when Stars’ 2019 Afcon qualifying campaign was seriously wobbling.
The previous coach, local boy Stanley Okumbi, had an inauspicious stint with the team despite the backing of his federation president Nick Mwendwa, who seemed to stick with him through thick and more thick.
He won a couple of friendly matches despite public scepticism over his ability, selection and loyalty. That public’s mistrust was justified when Okumbi failed to deliver when it mattered, as Stars fell 1-2 to Sierra Leone in Freetown in their first qualifier on June 10, 2017, with – who else? – Michael Olunga netting for Kenya.
QUIETLY APPOINTED
He was replaced by Belgian Paul Put who left in a huff three months later without testing Afcon qualifiers action.
Forty-five-year-old Migne, formerly with Republic of Congo, was quietly appointed on May 3.
“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,” he said during his unveiling.
The Frenchman may have been lowering expectation, but he proceeded to guide a rugged and determined Harambee Stars to a massive 1-0 win over overwhelming group favourites Ghana at Kasarani to raise hopes of qualifying for the event in Egypt.
An away draw in Ethiopia coupled by Sierra Leone’s suspension by Fifa left Kenya needing a win at home against Ethiopia to all but guarantee qualification.
They duly complied, a beautiful goal by Olunga and a strike each from Eric Johanna and captain Victor Wanyama, key members of the team, sent Ethiopia packing 3-0 and Kenya pocketing their ticket to the 2019 finals.
A 1-0 loss away to Ghana in what was an academic fixture — both nations already qualified — showed Kenya were indeed ready to sit on the same table with kings of African football.
Migne has coolly dealt with persistent questions over his selection while delivering the results, and after a three-week camp in Paris, a 1-0 win versus Madagascar and 1-1 draw versus DR Congo in build-up matches, he has again told Kenyans’ to lower their expectation of the team in Egypt.
But with the preparations the team has had, and personnel, nothing short of qualification to the round of 16 will appease the long suffering Harambee Stars fans.
Will this Stars rewrite history after 47 years of early exits?
They very well might.
