Kenya's national team continues preparations for WC qualifier against Nigeria

Kenya's football team, Harambee Stars continues preparations for their November 14 final World Cup/Africa Cup of Nation's qualifier against Nigeria amidst controversy.

For a second day running, German coach, Antoine Hey maintained his gag against local press whom he feels have given him rough treatment on Tuesday as his team prepares for the must win encounter if the country is to habour any hope of returning to the continental championship since 2004.

Hey, who returned to Kenya on Sunday, gathered his team the following day and has favoured evening training sessions (4pm local time), an hour of the day that is not convenient for local media to cover the preparations.

Pressure has mounted on the coach whose initial contract expires after the Nigeria match and is not keen to continue occupying the role with reports linking him to Egyptian club side,Arab Contractors.

Once again, Hey has declined to call up French Ligue 1 striker and Kenya's most potent marksman, Denis Oliech.

"He is performing well at his club side, including setting up the goal which brought them level against Lille at the weekend and we fail to understand why he still chooses to omit him," a former coach of the team who declined to be named due to high emotions running on the subject stated.

Hey's predecessor, Francis Kimanzi who led Kenya to the final phase of the qualifiers where the country's sits bottom of Group 2with three points earlier declined to take up the coaching role after the country's association of coaches, KEFORA, nominated him to take over.

To inflame the matter, two rival factions are both laying claim to be in charge of what is predicted to be a 60,000 sell-out encounter at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani complex.

Football Kenya Limited (FKL) led by Mohammed Hatimy and said to enjoy world body FIFA's blessings has been handling the national team for the entire duration of the qualifiers.

Their adversaries, Kenya Football Federation (KFF) fronted by their chairman, Sam Nyamweya are seeking to wrest control of the match from FKL that is also projected to generate millions of shillings in gate collections.

KFF were recently given a voice by a probe committee launched by the government to seek a lasting solution to the decade old tussle over management of the country's game.

The committee led by one of the country's leading and respected businessman, Vimal Shah, recommended both bodies to be involved in running of the game.

Add to the fact that Kenya will likely miss Italian Serie A based midfield lynchpin, MacDonald Mariga who was injured playing for his club side Parma AC last month. He was also out for Kenya's1-0 away defeat in Tunisia in their previous qualifier.

Hey who on that occasion and the preceding 1-0 loss to Mozambique in Maputo failed to travel back home with the team opting to fly to his native Germany, a showing that has lent credence he is not committed to the side.

Nigeria's Super Eagles are keen to collect maximum points that would lift them to ten in the log and coupled with defeat of Tunisia whom they trail by a point so far in Maputo, would send them to South Africa.

Conversely, Kenya are a point shy of Mozambique's tally and victory against Nigeria with Tunisia holding or beating their hosts would seal third place and passage to the Nations Cup in Angola.

The Kenyan public has little faith in their team claiming the scalp of the Super Eagles with the kind of scandal rocking their side.

Source: Xinhua