AFC Leopards Football Operations manager Tom Juma has challenged Harambee Stars to use their Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) experience in their pursuit of a World Cup slot.
Kenya are in Group E alongside neighbours Uganda, Rwanda, and Mali and Juma believes the 2019 Afcon participation in Egypt will be key in the qualifiers.
Although Harambee Stars did not impress in the continental showpiece, the manager says lessons learnt would serve the national team best.
“The experience we got from Afcon will play an important part for Harambee Stars this time around. They must have learned the level at which their opponents are at and this will boost them in preparations,” Juma told Goal.
The retired footballer added Kenya will need their foreign-based contingent at their best level and also explained the importance of Francis Kimanzi's presence when Kenya were in Egypt for the Afcon finals.
“We will also need our foreign-based players because every country will bring their best ones to these matches. Remember [Francis] Kimanzi was part and parcel of the Afcon contingent so he must be aware of the challenges which lie ahead and how to tackle them,” he explained.
“He knows where there is weakness and where he needs to reinforce.”
Juma went on to dissect every member of Group E and said Uganda look the strongest team.
“This group is not easy by the way. Uganda have been a good side recently and every statistic and fact will point to it,” the manager opined.
"There is no underdog in this group, the moment you pick a team as an underdog you will be surprised that in the end, they are the toughest opponent.
“Mali have been doing good in Afcon and have good and experienced players but you never know how Kenya will perform against them.”
The importance of high-level preparations was also stated by Juma who said the pre-Afcon strategies used by Harambee Stars in 2019 were superb and should be replicated.
“Kenya must have the best preparation and aim to win all the home games so that when they will start playing the away ones, they will be confident of even fighting for all points. Getting a draw away will also be good as we try to snatch a slot in the finals,” Juma concluded.
“If you look at previous preparations especially before the Afcon finals, it was good and we need the same before we start playing these qualifiers.”
Kenya faced Uganda in a friendly match on September 9 in Nairobi and forced a 1-1 draw.
