Harambee Stars coach Okumbi axed - What they said
An AFC Leopards fan displays a placard calling for the resignation of Harambee Stars head coach Stanley Okumbi during the GOtv Shield final between AFC Leopards and Kariobangi Sharks on October 20, 2017 at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. PHOTO | VINCENT OPIYO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Fans and other football stakeholders took to Social Media on Wednesday to express their views following the sacking of Harambee Stars caretaker coach Stanley Okumbi.
Okumbi, who insists he always did his best during his two-year stint with the team, is set to be "redeployed" together with his assistant Frank Ouna and the team's goalkeeping coach Haggai Azande according to Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa.
Okumbi was fired following Kenya’s loss to Central African Republic in a friendly match held in Morocco on Tuesday that preceded a two-all draw against Comoros last Saturday.
The former Kariobangi Sharks and Mathare United tactician has been in charge of 18 international games winning five, seven draws and six defeats.
Three of the losses came in competitive matches against Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone in the 2017 and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers respectively.
Nation Sport looks at some of the reaction:
“Stanley Okumbi was never good enough, qualified enough, experienced enough, or recognised and respected enough to be coach of the Kenya Senior Men's National Team. I made this clear from the start, and my stance hasn't changed,” sports consultant Arnold Kanyang’onda told Nation Sport on Wednesday.
“He isn't even the best Kenyan coach available, with Robert Matano, Sammy Omollo, Zedekiah Otieno, Francis Kimanzi, and, most notably, Jacob Mulee all more accomplished and deserving than him. That he was ever hired is a travesty for which the Kenyan national sport has paid for with 2 wasted years.”
Former Kenyan international Simon Mulama termed the move unfortunate for Okumbi who has struggled to impress at the helm.
“I thought any new announcements would have been made once the team is back but it’s shocking to learn the changes have been revealed before they jet back. Anyway, Okumbi has been unfortunate in assignments, results haven’t favoured him but it’s good he is still within the national team setup as U20 coach,” said Mulama.
“Truly only the fans can bring the much needed changes in Kenyan football. Fans need to rise up and stand in the gap for football's sake.” - James Mathuku, a local football fan, on Facebook.
“Finally our prayers have been answered, Stanley Okumbi is no longer coach of Harambee Stars!” Boaz Sudhe also posted on Facebook.
“After 2 years of using Harambee Stars as a guinea pig, the Football Kenya Federation has finally found it necessary to disband the entire technical bench, save for Coach Stanley Okumbi who always has to be accorded a softer landing, Mr. Okumbi has been redeployed to the U-20 Kenya team as the Head Coach,” A Facebook user by the name Ustadh Okello Kimathi posted.
“There shouldn't be a problem with Okumbi's Re-deployment, the Objective was not to make him jobless but make FKF appoint a competent coach for Harambee Stars,” Michael Odock said on Facebook.
