Mwendwa calls for calm after Mignes resentment

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa has called on all stakeholders to build on Saturday’s 1-0 win over Ghana, in the wake emotional protest by head coach Sebastian Migne over what he termed as ‘disrespect’ to the team.

Addressing journalists when he visited Harambee Stars at the Kenya School of Monetary Studies (KSMS) where the team is camping ahead of Tuesday’s friendly against Malawi, Mwendwa insisted there are more gains than setbacks to reflect on in the team’s management.

On Saturday, an angry Migne walked out of the Ghana-Kenya post-match conference without taking journalist’s questions after his two minutes address expressing his frustration with the running of the team’s affair despite the phenomenal win.

The French tactician was particular, he could not understand why he was taken to ‘poor’ KSMS grounds for training while Kasarani Stadium was available, as visiting Cameroon who were preparing for a clash with Comoros were booked at the venue.

Migne also expressed his disappointment with the players who never honored call-ups, including Captain Victor Wanyama, Allan Wanga and George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo saying there should be a better way to deal with them in future.

Though coy to shed light on the allowances issue, Migne suggested his players had not received their dues ahead of the mouthwatering tie, casting doubts on the seriousness of the federation to get the best of the team.

However, Mwendwa indirectly responded to the coaches’ sentiments by reminding Kenyans the state of organisation three years ago, before he took over from his predecessor Sam Nyamweya.

“When you look the preparations of Harambee Stars today vis-a-vis three years ago what do you think? I wouldn’t like to rate ourselves (FKF) but when you look at the team, the way it is organised, the way they look and where they stay, the number of complains… the answer is there. Of course we cannot be a 100 percent but I can tell you we have done very well.

“We have brought in the players, no one has paid for his own air ticket, no one has ever missed uniform…and the small things that were here and there are gone. Of course there are things that we need but we don’t have. We will continue to fight for those things especially from the Government,” averred the federation boss.

He further threw the ball to Sports Kenya’s court that is in-charge of the Kasarani stadium, noting the arrangement to have Cameroon in Kasarani instead of Stars was entirely theirs.

‘we won’

“When the stadium was fixed after the Gor Mahia versus Hull City match, we agreed the pitch cannot be used for a whole week continuously. The kind of grass that we have there cannot withstand such rigorous activity. We therefore booked out team here (KSMS) before we shifted there. It is a mistake that someone allowed…” he noted.

On the players who snubbed national duty, Mwendwa is noncommittal as to what action will be taken.

“The best thing is we won, those who came did the work. We had this experience before, calling players for Cecafa Senior Challenge and they failed to honor the call, and we went on to win. Whether somebody will be punished or not should not be our focus. We have back-to-back matches coming up against Ethiopia home and way and that’s where our concentration should be.

“Get six points, know whether we need an extra one, because I’m told with 10 points we are good to go,” underscored Mwendwa.

Meanwhile, the Malawi match will take place at Kasarani from 3:00pm EAT (3GMT) with tickets going for Ksh. 500 for the VIP and 100 for terraces.

As announced earlier this week, this will be the only international friendly for Kenya before the October match against Ethiopia’s Walya Antelopes.

All teams in Group F of the 2019 African Cup of Nations Qualifier are level at three points, every team winning their initial home match. On Sunday afternoon, Ethiopia edged Sierra Leon 1-0 in Addis Ababa, to rise from their campaign opener 5-0 humiliation by Ghana away to Accra.

Stars had suffered a 2-1 defeat to Sierra Leon in the first match in Free Town under the tutelage of former coach Stanley Okumbi.