Wanga: 'Ghost' is a man with amazing football wisdom

Harambee Stars coach Jacob Ghost Mulee [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

To former Harambee Stars striker Allan Wanga, national team coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee is a man with a difference.

He sees what many won't. He has trodden paths few would dare. He's keeping faith with local-based players.

The Kakamega Homeboyz talisman retired from international football in July 2019 after 12 years of service for the national team after he was overlooked for selection for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournament in Egypt.

From Tusker to Petro Atletico (Angola), Baku (Azerbaijan), Sofapaka, AFC Leopards and El-Merreikh (Sudan), Wanga has been there and seen it all.

But after watching 12 FKF Premier League players feature in Kenya’s last two Group G matches of the 2021 Afcon qualifiers against Egypt (1-1) and Togo (1-2) in March, Wanga, who inspired Stars to 2013 Cecafa Senior Challenge title triumph in Nairobi, feels the national team is on the right track.

Clyde Seneji (AFC Leopards), Nahashon Alambi (KCB) and Kevin Simiyu (Nzoia Sugar) made impressive debuts in the qualifiers even as Bandari’s Abdallah Hassan, Sofapaka’s Lawrence Juma, Gor Mahia’s Kenneth Muguna and Daniel Sakari (Kariobangi Sharks) starred in the fixtures.

Unfortunately, the four points from their final two matches could not earn Kenya a ticket to Cameroon for next year's tournament as they finished third in the group with seven points, five behind winners Egypt.

“I think the boys did well in the last two matches compared with what we have been seeing in the other qualifiers. Nobody expected Kenya to perform the way they did against Egypt and Togo. Big up to coach because he decided to stick with mostly local-based players and they never disappointed. It is the right step towards stardom,” Wanga said.

Selection on merit

But to ensure Kenya performs well in upcoming assignments, including the back-back 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Uganda and Rwanda in June, Wanga has urged Mulee, who handed him his first national team call-up, to continue selecting players on merit.

“What 'Ghost' is doing is the right thing because for many years, we have believed in fielding mostly foreign-based players. It's not automatic that those based abroad have enough playing time, yet they are given priority in the national team,” said Wanga.

"Let the coach keep picking players based on merit."

Wanga’s sentiments were echoed by his coach Nicholas Muyoti: “There has been good progress with the national team. We need to give a chance to players who deserve a place in the team.”