Hunt on for new coach: Gor Mahia head coach Bobby Williamson likely to take over from Adel Amrouche

Gor Mahia head coach Bobby Williamson and Adel Amrouche

Gor Mahia head coach Bobby Williamson has emerged as the firm favourite to take over at Harambee Stars following the one year suspension of Adel Amrouche.

It is understood Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has already inquired about the availability of the former Uganda Cranes coach.

Sources in the federation who did not want to be named said: “We have already started looking for a possible replacement for Amrouche and Williamson is being considered first.

“He has the experience of working at this level and everybody knows what he achieved while working in Uganda. We are talking to his club and expect to make a firm decision in the next few days.”

The federation must appoint Amrouche’s replacement in the next few days considering that Kenya are scheduled to play Lesotho on August 2 in the return match of their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

Kenya lost the first match 1-0 and have to win the return leg by at least two goals to make it to the group stages where they will play against Gabon, Burkina Faso and Angola. The top two teams from the group will qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals to be held in Morocco.

Williamson was the coach of Uganda Cranes for five years during which he won the Senior Challenge Cup three times in a row and also sent the team to the Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) finals.

Williamson, however, failed to take the Cranes to the Africa Cup of Nations finals something that could have led to his sacking last year and may therefore be enticed by the Kenyan job.

Apart from Williamson another coach being considered is Tusker’s Francis Kimanzi.

If he comes back, it will be Kimanzi’s third time with Harambee Stars. His first stint was in 2008 where he took the team to the group stages of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers but fell out with Football Kenya Limited (FKL) officials over a friendly match in Spain leading to his sacking.

He came back again in 2011 but did not last long as he was promoted to the position of Technical Director.

Kimanzi has handled some of the country’s most successful clubs. He was in-charge of Mathare United when they won the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) in 2008. He has also coached Sofapaka, the 2009 KPL winners.

It is also likely that FKF may consider Jacob Mulee for the position given that he is the last coach who helped Harambee Stars play in the Africa Cup of Nations finals when he achieved this feat in 2004.

Mulee is the current FKF Technical Director and has handled Tusker previously. As Technical Director, he has been working very closely with Amrouche.

Elsewhere, Harambee Stars goalkeeper Arnold Origi believes the team can overcome Lesotho in the return leg match of their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

Origi, who missed the match, said: “I hope to be available for the return match, which we are capable of winning to make it to the Group stages.”