Bobby, Mitcho Miss Out On Harambee Stars job

Former Burundi Coach Adel Amrouche has been announced by the Federation of Kenyan Football (FKF) as the new Coach of the Kenya national team replacing Henri Michel who controversially quit the post late last year.

Amrouche beat three candidates to the job who include Uganda Cranes tactician Bobby Williamson, Rwanda coach Mitcho Sredojevich and French man Raymond Dommenech who were all shortlisted by the FKF for the job.

“We are proud to announce that we have found a coach Adel Amrouche. Kenyans were anxious to get a new coach who understands Kenyan football. 20 coaches applied for the job but we settled on a young man who understands the local game”, said FKF Chairman Sam Nyamweya at a press conference at the Boulevard Hotel in Nairobi

“There were however other factors that were considered like the age, experience and finally an understanding on Kenyan football”, he added.

Meanwhile, James Nandwa has been named as assistant to the Algerian Coach. Nandwa has been in charge of the Harambee Stars as the interim boss ever since Michel left. He was also the one in charge of the team that lost to Uganda Cranes 2-1 in the 2012 Cecafa Tusker Challenge Cup.

“We held several consultations and decided to retain Nandwa to work with him [Amrouche]. Nandwa has made us proud by steering the team when everybody abandoned us”, said Nyamweya.

The pair’s immediate duty will be to prepare the team for the approaching World Cup qualifier againstAFCON Champions Super Eagles from Nigeria to be played away in March.

AMROUCHE PROFILE:

Amrouche began his managerial career in 1988 by coaching the youth ranks of local club OMR El Annasser while playing for the senior team. He held the same role during his playing stints with USM Alger and RC Kouba.

In 2002, he was appointed as the manager of Congolese club Daring Club Motema Pembe.

In 2007, Amrouche became the coach of the Burundi national football team. On January 1, 2011, Amrouche turned down an offer to take over the vacant managerial role of Algerian club ES Sétif, preferring to continue in his role with the Burundi national team. On February 29, 2012, Amrouche resigned as the manager of Burundi, just a day after a 2-1 win against Zimbabwe in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.