Wanyama focused on bringing down Ethiopia

Harambee Stars Deputy President William Ruto receives a jersey from Harambee Stars captain Victor Mugubi Wanyama as players Allan Wanga, David Ochieng and Farouk Shikhalo look on at Kasarani stadium in Nairobi on October 12, 2018. They are preparing ahead of their African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2019 qualifier match against Ethiopia at the same venue on October 14, 2018. Photo/Stafford Ondego/www.sportpicha.com

Tottenham midfielder says Kenya taking one game at a time.

National men’s football team, Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama has sent a powerful message to his critics ahead of tomorrow’s crucial Group F 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Ethiopia at Kasarani Stadium.

Though Kenya picked up a vital point against the Walya Antelopes in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia on Wednesday, the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder drew criticism for what was perceived to be a below-par performance in the barren draw. The result saw Kenya leapfrog Ghana at the top of the table with four points and put the East Africans in pole position to secure a ticket to next year’s continental show-piece finals in Cameroon. Harambee Stars last featured at the AFCON finals in 2004, in Tunisia.

But in an interview with The Standard Sports after yesterday’s training session at Kasarani, Wanyama, who made his national team’s return from a niggling knee injury in the away mid-week’s clash, said he played as per coach Sebastian Migné’s instructions.

“I don’t understand why people criticised me. What do they want me to do? They want me to score ten goals or what?

“We went there with a strategy and we played as per what the coach wanted me to,” said a baffled Wanyama.

“We did the job, so if a few people see we didn’t play the way they wanted, that’s their own problem. I am not playing for myself, but for the team and I have to respect the rules of the coach.”

Commenting on the Sierra Leone ban and how motivated the team is following Deputy President William Ruto’s visit to their training camp yesterday as well as the government’s decision to waive gate charges for the match, Wanyama said:

“We are just focusing on ourselves and taking one game at a time, not about other teams in the group. We don’t want to look at Sierra Leone and assume that no team has been kicked out.

“Therefore, we are taking one game at a time knowing that we have a crucial game on Sunday (tomorrow).

“We thank the DP for his gesture. We want the entire country to rally behind us. We had a few problems but we would like such issues solved one week or so before the game. We are looking to the task ahead. Hopefully, we will do the job tomorrow and represent the country very well.”

The Deputy President gave the team a motivation token of Sh1 million and re-affirmed a government pledge of Sh50 million if Harambee Stars qualify for the 2019 AFCON finals.