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VEN
Former coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee has proposed a bold strategy to revamp Kenyan football following the national team’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (.
Speaking to , Mulee emphasized the need to integrate young talents from the Rising Stars, Kenya’s U-20 team, into the senior squad ahead of the 2027 AFCON, which Kenya is co-hosting.
Kenya’s qualification campaign ended in disappointment, as they managed only six points in Group J, finishing third behind Zimbabwe and group leaders Cameroon. Draws against Zimbabwe (1-1) and Namibia (0-0) in Polokwane sealed their fate. Reflecting on this outcome, Mulee criticized the lack of proper foundational football development in Kenya.
Six players that could soon break into the Harambee Stars squad following stellar performances a CECAFA U-20 AFCON qualifiers in Tanzania
“Kenyan players are talented but have suffered from a lack of football development, and this is what has killed our football,” Mulee said.
Mulee highlighted the inadequacies in youth coaching, asserting that poor training from an early age leaves players unprepared for the professional stage.
“We could be talking about our football every other time, but if we do not go back and start coaching our football players from as early as five, then we are losing it,” he explained.
While acknowledging the existence of many football academies in Kenya, Mulee questioned the quality of coaching being offered.
“Who is handling our future stars? Do they have the knowledge? Are they imparting the right coaching at the youth level?”
Mulee criticized the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) for focusing on licensing coaches without addressing the foundational levels of player development.
“When you build the house from the roof, it will never stabilize,” he added.
Despite the challenges, Mulee sees a way forward by capitalizing on the recent success of Salim Babu’s U-20 Rising Stars, who qualified for the 2025 U-20 AFCON for the first time in over 50 years.
Engin Firat has constantly emphasised the need for Kenya to have better talent development hubs for youngsters, which Titus Mulama has completely agreed with.
“Integrate the U-20 players that have qualified for the U-20 AFCON. Get a lot of the players in the current setup out and bring these boys in,” he suggested.
Mulee urged Kenya to adopt a long-term vision, even if it meant missing out on the 2026 World Cup. He drew parallels with the late Reinhard Fabisch, who transformed Harambee Stars in the 1980s by integrating players from lower leagues, forming a competitive team.
“It’s a reality we need to face. Without developing our players and creating a formidable structure, we will not move forward.”
Mulee’s call for structural change and youth integration underscores the urgent need for Kenya to rebuild with the future in mind.
As the co-host of the 2027 AFCON, the Harambee Stars face both pressure and opportunity to deliver a competitive team on home soil. The integration of U-20 talents could be the first step toward achieving this vision.
