Sports

Yanga coach close in on Kenya job

Belgian Tom Saintfiet

YANGA head coach, Belgian Tom Saintfiet, looks to be closing in on a coaching stint with the Kenya senior national soccer team, Harambee Stars, as he has been named in the remaining four coaches shortlisted for the job.

According to Super Sport website, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has narrowed down the options for the next Harambee Stars' coach to four after a scrutiny that whittled down the number from the ten earlier shortlisted.

Among the top coaches that have been heralded to take over the vacant job include Belgian duo of Adel Amrouche and Tom Saintfiet, and Frenchmen Henry Michel and Raymond Domenech.

Sources privy to the coach’s search intimated to SuperSport.com that Kenyan Prime Minister's office has been vouching for Michel, with the government expected to pump in over Kshs 100 million (R10 million) for the purpose of hiring the coach.

But both Amrouche and Saintfiet have a great chance of taking over the job considering they have wide experience in African football management for several years. Michel has not been lucky in his stints in Africa, having been sacked as Morocco coach after only four games and he was also sacked by Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa having been accused of non tolerance to players and disrespect.

The new Harambee Stars coach is set to be named soon after the four appear before a committee for interviews. Saintfiet guided Yanga to win this year's East and Central Africa Club Championship, dubbed Kagame Cup, in July shortly after he was recruited by Tanzanian soccer giants to fill in the position left by Serbian, Kostadin Papic.

The Belgian had previously been serving as the technical director of the Nigeria senior national soccer side, Super Eagles, but was released by the Nigerian soccer governing body only to land a coaching stint with Yanga.

He had applied for the coaching job at the FKF prior to being employed by Yanga and the Kagame Cup champions have so far kept mum on their next move should the Belgian win the opportunity to coach Harambee Stars.

Yanga General Secretary, Celestine Mwesigwa, refused to divulge details on whether Yanga will be willing to let Tom go to Harambee Stars, should the Belgian win the KFF's approval. "We have entered contract with Tom and anything concerning his presence in the KFF shortlist for Harambee Stars' new coach is none of our business," he said.

"We can not disclose the contract's terms and, for that matter, he (Tom) is the exact person that should speak of the matter... I can't say anything about it", insisted Mwesigwa.