The former Gor Mahia tactician has identified what is holding Kenyan football back and why Harambee Stars have no chance against Africa’s best at the moment.
Former Gor Mahia assistant coach Frank Ouna believes a lack of a consistent playing philosophy has left Kenyan football behind, which he attributes directly to Harambee Stars’ failiures.
The standards of Kenyan football have been dwindling with Harambee Stars unable to qualify for major tournaments and recently missed out on a third straight Africa Cup of Nations following an unconvincing qualifying phase.
Former coach Engin Firat employed a defensive tactical approach that did not yield much and defended his style by claiming Kenya did not have the right players for expansive football while his predecessors also had their own way of playing.
Harambee Stars interim coach Francis Kimanzi has explained how Kenya can best fix the problems bedeviling the national team following years of underachievement.
Ouna believes this is down to a lack of a playing philosophy that would dictate how all national teams play, leaving it at the coach’s discretion to decide a style that they feel is suited to the players they select.
“Kenyan Football is stuck in tactical chaos. Despite having a National Football Curriculum, a structured Coaching Education Program, and proper certification for coaches, FKF still lacks a documented, consistent playing philosophy for all national teams,” Ouna, who also coached Wazito FC, wrote in a series of tweets on X.
“This means Kenya’s football identity keeps changing every few years, youth players struggle to transition to senior teams, and our national squads play different styles under different coaches.
“Without a clear tactical blueprint, Kenya will never compete with Africa’s elite. Is it time for FKF to finally define a Kenyan football identity before it’s too late?” posed the tactician, now based in Germany.
Harambee Stars are yet to reach the level of some of their African counterparts who have a set philosophy for all national teams and hire coaches suited to it. This is partly blamed for their struggles in various competitions as well as a lack of attractive playing style.
However, there are signs of that changing with the national U20 team, coached by Salim Babu, playing an attractive possession-based style and observers feel the side can form the foundations for a good brand of football while also building a squad for the future.
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The ex-striker fears Kenya may never produce another player of Victor Wanyama’s calibre due to a number of factors affecting the country’s football.
