After the usual circus that is Kenyan national football, this weekend we welcome our neighbours Uganda who are riding high on their chances after beating Angola in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification ties. With the fixture looking all more important for Kenya it is being rumoured that none other than the Head of State Pres Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is expected to grace the match - to show allegiance and support to his side.
With the countries currently enjoying a hot-cold relationship with the rather peculiar controversy of 'some rock' on Lake Victoria and the renditions of Kenyan Muslim human rights over the Kampala bombings in July 2010, the temperatures are rising by the day. Also controversial is the fact that Kenya has changed tacticians once again bringing back Mr. Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee who though we respect his work might just end up as his predecessor Twahir Muhiddin.
Group J has Angola and Guinea-Bissau as the other teams. Let's see what the game holds for us;
Strengths:
- Home ground - Being played before the home fans who have been streaming back to the stadiums to watch the local teams, there is bound to be overwhelming support for the Harambee Stars. What is lacking is the right 'hype' to fill the stadium and promote the fixture. By asking the top Government offficials, Mr Titus Kasuve is not enough.
- Professionals - Having the Oliechs and Marigas on the team who have been enjoying playing time on their respective European leagues is also a boon to the team. This though needs to translate to goals with at least 3 looking to 'charge' the team and fans to cloud 9.
Weaknesses:
- Nyayo National Stadium capacity - while it will be played at this ground, the capacity of the ground is limited to a little over 30,000 and any more than that is a crisis in waiting. We know what happens when the crowd is larger and passions up there. We can't afford to be banned hosting future games on the grounds not now not ever!
- Team spirit- Losing to the minnows of the group dropped the team morale to a new low and there were media reports of team disunity. We also question the coach's choice of Dennis Oliech ( all respects to him as a player). You need a more unifying factor in the team.
- Uganda's flying start - Beating Angola who hosted the last Cup of Nations and were in the 2006 World Cup is no mean feat. The Ugandans have less than 5 players playing in the European leagues so they have something else inspiring their play.
- Consistency on the technical bench - if we have to win future games, there has to be some consistency on who sits on the technical bench. (We're made to understand they appointed an assistant coach who's currently in Europe studying, pray the head coach doesn't get red-carded anytime soon....). If the FKL officials or whoever is in charge wants to do the country a favour, get the right people for the job or at least give them ample time to prove themselves. Create the right working environment and please get some contracts done and no playing with allowances or other financial obligations. You have more than enough funds from FIFA to bankroll this.
Our Uganda brothers are really excited about this fixture as you can see here and yes let's keep it on the pitch (as written by Daily Monitor's Mark Ssali) Come 9th October and let's see the boys put on a good show and get 2012 preparations back on the road. Haraaambeee !
