Kenyan soccer coach pulls out of national team

Kenyan head Coach Jacob Mulee resigned on Monday after being re-appointed last week to take charge of the national team for the four-nation tournament which begins later this month in Egypt.

Mulee announced his withdrawal from the controversy-ridden team on Monday following an order from local club officials at Tusker FC who signed him last month.

The Tusker FC signed Mulee one month ago and a top official of the club said they do not want to be dragged into the controversy surrounding the national team.

"We have consulted and have asked Mulee to pull out of the team. Tusker FC does not wish to be involved in the controversy," said club chairman Philip Omondi.

Mulee was last week appointed Harambee Stars coach by a faction of the Kenya Football Federation (KFF) to lead the team to the LG Cup tournament in Egypt next month.

But his reappointment was resisted by another faction led by Moni Wekesa who insists that Mohammed Kheri will lead Stars to the tournament.

Wekesa, who is recognized by world's soccer governing body, FIFA, had dismissed the changes, terming them "illegal and inconsequential", telling the newly re-appointed coach to deal with the "right people" if he wanted to handle Harambee Stars.

Mulee, who had earlier accepted an offer to coach Harambee Stars for this month's LG Cup tournament in Egypt, last Wednesday, announced a squad of 21 players that start camping for the tournament which will feature top African soccer teams.

The tournament which kicks off on December 27 to 29 will feature Senegal, Ecuador and hosts, Egypt and has prize money of 50,000 US dollars for the winning side.

The runners-up in the tournament will receive 30,000 dollars and third-placed team 20,000 dollars.

Besides the lucrative prize money the players will be paid an allowance of 50 dollars each per day with officials earning double.

Organizers are paying for everything from air-tickets to accommodation for participating teams.

KFF said Kenya would use the tournament as a build-up to the qualifications for the 2008 Cup of Nations finals.

Harambee Stars play Egypt on December 27 with Ecuador taking on Senegal the same day.

The winners play each other two days later with the losers taking on one other in the play-offs.

The tournament comes a week after Harambee Stars were kicked out of the senior challenge cup in Rwanda for arriving late.

Source: Xinhua