Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa says the focus is not the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations

FKF president Nick Mwendwa greets Harambee Stars on arrival in Guinea Bissau on Monday. [PHOTO: SPORTPICHA/STAFFORD ONDEGO]

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa has defended Harambee Stars’ poor show in Guinea Bissau saying the focus was not the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals.

Mwendwa insisted that building a successful national team requires long term investments and a strong foundation, something he said his administration is working on.

Speaking in the wake of strong sentiments expressed by fans after Harambee Stars went down 1-0 to Guinea Bissau in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, Mwendwa also defended head coach Stanley Okumbi’s selection of players for the match.

“We have no excuses about losing to Guinea Bissau and believe we have what it takes to do a good job in future. Our focus is the 2022 World Cup and was never qualifying for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals. Though we have a good team at the moment, I don’t believe it has the required foundation to play in Gabon next year,” he said.

He added: “To qualify for a major tournament you need to build the right foundation and this will then make it possible for you to win all your home matches and play better away.

“We are already working on it and that is why we have an under-20 in camp for the Africa Youth qualifiers. It is a long term journey.” Mwendwa also denied assertions that he had interfered with the selection of players against Guinea Bissau and influenced the fielding of Patilla Omoto and Ovella Ochieng who play for his club Kariobangi Sharks.

“My response to that allegation is that we shall be fair in team selection. If you are good, you will be selected and that applies to Kariobangi Sharks players as well. Having said that, the decision to play Ochieng and Omoto was the prerogative of the technical bench. I did not influence them in any way,” he said.

Mwendwa further pointed out that it was not surprising for Stars to lose on Wednesday considering that the team has a bad away record. “In more than 40 qualifiers away, we have won just four times and in football statistics count for something,” he said.

In a related development, the FKF boss has assured fans that adequate security will be in place in tomorrow’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea Bissau.

“We will have the Kenya police, National Youth Service (NYS), Dog Unit to secure the venue. We want to assure everyone that they will be safe,” he said.