Former national team head coaches, Kenya Football Coaches Association and ex-internationals have hailed the Football Kenya Federation’s decision to appoint Stanley Okumbi as the new Harambee Stars’ head coach.
But Robert Matano, the Ulinzi Stars coach and chair of Elite Coaches, took a divergent opinion altogether, saying Okumbi had been thrown to the deep end of the swimming pool.
“It is a serious job and one that requires a thorough recruitment process and thinking through it. Besides, the occupant of the position should have some experience.
“I also began coaching at a young age but like many others went through several steps. I am not saying Okumbi is a bad coach. No. However, such a job could destroy his career if things go wrong. He has only coached Mathare United without any success of note. Likewise at KariobangiSharks. Even with the Under-20 team, there is nothing to write home about,” Matano said, adding that Okumbi should have experienced assistants if FKF insists on having him as national team coach.
Okumbi replaced Bobby Williamson on Saturday, alongside his two assistants Musa Otieno (1st) and Frank Ouna (2nd ass-cum-team manager).
Despite being a CAF ‘A’ Licence holder, the 35-year old’s appointment was criticised by a section of the public, who felt the job should have been given to an experienced coach with a traceable record of success at a top level.
However, in an interview with Feverpitch, former Harambee Stars coaches, Twahir Muhiddin (Bandari coach) and Jacob Mulee, lauded the Nick Mwendwa-led federation for a brave decision and described Okumbi’s technical bench as the right team to take Kenya’s game to the next level.
“It’s the right moment in time for Okumbi and I’m 100 per cent behind the federation’s brave decision to hand him the job,” said Muhiddin.
“He’s not new to international football. He was with the junior team and has been in KPL for quite a long time so he knows our football very well. His philosophy won’t work out overnight but we should support him fully and give them time. But I would recommend two more experienced heads like Robert Matano on that bench to guide them.”
Mulee, who led Kenya to the 2004 African Nations Cup finals in Tunisia said: “It was long overdue, we have been acquiring the services of foreign coaches for a very long time but they don’t perform. It is good to give chance to our very own. It is good for Okumbi and his team because they’ve been here for a very long time, but it will be unfair to start criticising them demanding for instant results.”
But going by the successes of some of the previous homegrown coaches, Mohammed Kheri, Marshall Mulwa, Jacob Mulee, Francis Kimanzi, James Nandwa among others, KEFOCA Secretary General Bob Oyugi is confident Okumbi has what it takes to be successful in the dugout.
“Okumbi and his bench is not strangers in the Kenyan football circles. No matter how young he is, he must be respected and as an association, we will fully support him,” said Oyugi.
“The likes of Mulwa, Kheri, Mulee, Kimanzi and Nandwa have proven that our local coaches can do much better than the foreigners,” he said.
