WILL STARS SHINE? National team has a good chance to qualify for Nations Cup

Kenya Harambee Stars Anthony Akumu(R) struggle for ball against Loureuco Warumua of Mozambique's Black Mambas during their friendly match at Kasarani Stadium on Saturday 12/11/16.Kenya won 1-0.PHOTO:BONIFACE OKENDO

When the Africa Cup of Nations finals kick off in Gabon on January 14, Harambee Stars will once again be missing. It has been 12 years since the team qualified for Africa's premier competition. Harambee Stars last played in the event in 2004 when it was held in Tunisia.

Since then, it has been a tale of misses and near misses to the disappointment of the many faithful fans.
 

But 2017 gives the team another opportunity to attempt and qualify for the Nations Cup finals as the team will play qualifier matches for the 2019 edition.
 

With Kenya hosting the 2018 Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) playing in a major tournament could come earlier for Harambee Stars.
 

The CHAN is a tournament that features players who take part in local leagues and is considered inferior to the Africa Cup of Nations finals.
 

For this reason, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) is expected to concentrate all its efforts in ensuring Harambee Stars make it to the 2019 finals.
 

For this Stars coach Stanley Okumbi has his work cut out. Nobody gave Okumbi a chance when he took over the Harambee Stars coaching job early last year.
 

His appointment was criticised from all quarters with the criticism increasing after a gambled selection in a twin 1-0 defeat to Guinea Bissau that dented Kenya's AFCON qualification hopes.
However, nine months later and with four wins, four draws and two losses, the former Mathare United coach is proving to be the right man to bring back the lost glory to Kenya.
 

Having extended his unbeaten run to eight games after last November's 1-0 win over Liberia, Okumbi has managed to revive the national team's enthusiasm.
 

Okumbi has done this by mostly giving young players an opportunity to feature in the team with a keen eye of building for the future.
 

He has managed to give the likes of Eric 'Marcelo' Ouma (Gor Mahia), Ulinzi Stars' John Makwatta, Ismail Gonzalez (Las Palmas), Michael Ovella Ochieng (Kariobangi Sharks) and Calvin Odongo (Posta Rangers) their national team debuts and will hopefully deliver Stars to the promised land.
 

Apart from Okumbi, the pressure will also be on Stars captain Victor Wanyama to help the team qualify for a major tournament.
 

Since taking over the arm band four years ago, Wanyama has never taken the team to a major competition despite his own personal career being on a high. Wanyama became the first Kenyan player to play in the English Premier League when he joined Southamptom two years ago. He has since moved to Tottenham Hotspurs.

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