Ten recent Harambee Stars coaches
Germany national football team coach Joachim Low is one of the longest serving managers in his career. Low succeeded Rudi Volley as the head coach of the team in 2004 with his latest achievement being leading Germany to victory at the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil and the 2017 Fifa Confederation Cup in Russia. The 60-year-old is still at the helm due to the faith German Football Association has on him due to his myriad of achievements. In contrast, Kenya, who unveiled Jacob “Ghost” Mulee as the new Harambee Stars trainer last week, has had one of the biggest turnovers of managers in a period spanning slightly over a decade with 15 managers having handled the national team while Low is till in charge of Germany. People Sport’s Charles Thuku takes a peek at the latest 10 managers who have handled the Stars.
Francis Kimanzi
The outgoing coach was first appointed full-time manager of the team in December 11, 2008 after having held the post as a caretaker since May 2008.
He was sacked from the post after the Cecafa Cup in 2009, came in briefly in 2011, before being appointed again last year.
Sebastien Migne
The extrovert French national was named the national coach in March 2017.
Migne would later lead the team to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt in which the team was bundled out in the preliminary stage after losing two matches and winning one, before he was sacked in August last year.
Paul Put
Put was given the hot seat on November 18, 2017 to replace under-fire tactician Stanley Okumbi ahead of the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup later on December 3 that year.
The Belgian agreed on a two-year deal with FKF at the federation’s Annual General Meeting in Mombasa, but he tendered his resignation citing personal reasons despite the fact that the team was lined up for a crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ghana.
Stanley Okumbi
The former Mathare United coach was appointed the national team trainer on behest of the federation’s deliberate policy to invest on youthful local tacticians.
Okumbi and the entire technical bench was fired in 2018 after a catastrophic performance in which Stars conceded a massive five goals in two friendly matches during the Fifa calendar break.
Kenya lost 3-2 to Central African Republic before drawing 2-2 with Comoros and that was the last straw which broke the camel’s back.
Bobby Williamson
The former Uganda Cranes and Gor Mahia manager was named the head coach in August 2014.
He was hired by FKF’s regime led by Sam Nyamweya, then he was sacked immediately Nick Mwendwa took over after which Fifa ordered the federation to pay him Sh55 million for wrongful dismissal. The sum has yet to be paid in full.
Adel Amrouche
Amrouche was appointed coach in February 20, 2013 to take over from Frenchman Henry Michel who had stepped down over what he termed unfavourable working conditions.
He was sacked in August of the same year after he was banned for a year by Confederation of African Football for allegedly spitting on a referee during Stars Afcon match away against Comoros.
James Nandwa
Nandwa held brief as the national team coach in 2013 ahead of the World Cup qualifier against Nigeria.
The former KTM, Utalii and Stars talisman was head-hunted as Kenya’s FA sourced for an expatriate tactician.
He was later demoted to assistant coach before parting ways with the team since he could not balance the work with the one of coaching AFC Leopards.
Henri Michel
The much travelled Frenchman was hired in 2012 to take over from Francis Kimanzi. His immediate task was to prepare Stars for the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup in Kampala, Uganda.
Michel, who led France to the 184 Olympic title, had his stint only lasting a few months.
He only oversaw Stars’ solitary goal loss to South Africa in a friendly and died in April 2018 after a short illness.
Zedekiah Otieno
Zico, as he is popularly referred to, has been on and off the national team’s technical bench. He was first appointed interim coach until he was relieved by Kimanzi.
Otieno was appointed the manager of KPL side KCB on June 10, 2019 and had been able to balance the duties with those of the national team.
Like Kimanzi, the axe fell on him last week just few weeks before Stars engage Comoros in Afcon qualifier.
Twahir Muhiddin
He was the assistant coach of the team under German national Antoine Hey. Muhiddin is one of the most experienced local coaches and quit his position on September 17, 2010 after Stars’ 1-0 loss to Guinea Bissau in the 2012 Afcon qualifiers.
He is currently the Technical Director of Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side Bandari.
