Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee, former coach of the Harambee Stars, has called for a transformative approach to Kenya’s football development following the national team’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). His proposal emphasizes the integration of Kenya’s U-20 players into the senior squad to help revamp the national team in preparation for the 2027 AFCON, which Kenya will co-host. Mulee’s remarks, made in an interview with TV47, highlight a broader critique of the state of Kenyan football and a vision for long-term growth.
Kenya’s recent AFCON 2025 qualifying campaign ended in disappointment, with the national team finishing third in Group J. Despite securing only six points, the team struggled in key matches, drawing with Zimbabwe and Namibia. The failure to qualify was a bitter blow to the Harambee Stars, but Mulee believes that it offers a crucial opportunity for change. He attributes the country’s football struggles to a lack of proper youth development and infrastructure, particularly in training young players from an early age.
Mulee’s main criticism is directed at the absence of a solid foundation for developing football talent in Kenya. He points out that while there is no shortage of natural talent among Kenyan players, they often lack the technical skills needed to compete at the highest levels due to poor coaching and training practices. “Kenyan players are talented but have suffered from a lack of football development,” Mulee explains. This gap in development is seen most clearly in youth coaching, where inadequate methods at the grassroots level hinder young players’ progression to the professional stage.
Despite the presence of numerous football academies across Kenya, Mulee questions the quality of coaching available to aspiring players. “Who is handling our future stars? Do they have the knowledge? Are they imparting the right coaching at the youth level?” he asks. The former Harambee Stars coach believes that focusing solely on coach licensing without addressing the quality of coaching at the foundational levels of player development is a misguided approach. “When you build the house from the roof, it will never stabilize,” Mulee emphasizes, arguing that the priorities of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) need to shift towards improving grassroots football.
In light of these challenges, Mulee sees hope in the success of the U-20 Rising Stars, who recently qualified for the 2025 U-20 AFCON, marking Kenya’s first qualification in over five decades. This achievement, under the guidance of coach Salim Babu, offers a potential pathway for the national team to rebuild. Mulee suggests that the U-20 players, many of whom have shown promise on the continental stage, should be integrated into the senior team setup. “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,” Mulee proposes.
This approach, Mulee believes, will not only inject fresh talent into the senior squad but also provide these young players with invaluable experience on the international stage. Kenya’s failure to qualify for the 2025 AFCON could serve as a springboard for creating a more competitive team, one that is built around young, dynamic players who can grow together and compete at the highest level in future tournaments.
Mulee stresses the importance of adopting a long-term vision for Kenyan football, even if it means sacrificing immediate success, such as qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. He draws parallels with the late Reinhard Fabisch, a German coach who took charge of Harambee Stars in the 1980s. Fabisch successfully integrated players from lower leagues into the national team, ultimately forming a competitive squad. Mulee suggests that Kenya needs a similar approach, where structural changes are made at the grassroots level to nurture future talent and build a sustainable footballing ecosystem.
Looking ahead to Kenya’s role as a co-host of the 2027 AFCON, Mulee believes that the integration of U-20 players is essential for the country’s success on the continental stage. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for the Harambee Stars, as they face the pressure of delivering a competitive team on home soil. Mulee’s call for reform underscores the urgency of making changes now, with a focus on long-term player development, to ensure that the team is ready to compete at the highest levels in the years to come.
In conclusion, Mulee’s proposals highlight the need for a systemic overhaul in Kenyan football, particularly in terms of youth development and coaching quality. Integrating the promising U-20 talents into the senior team could be the first step in revitalizing the Harambee Stars and creating a sustainable future for the national team. With the 2027 AFCON on the horizon, the time to act is now if Kenya is to build a team that can compete and thrive on the continental stage.
