'Ghost' Mulee will bring success if given time at Harambee Stars - Williamson

Former Kenya coach Bobby Williamson believes Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee can bring success if given time with the Harambee Stars.

The 52-year-old was confirmed as the new Kenya coach, taking over from Francis Kimanzi who parted ways with the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) on mutual consent. The Scot, however, did not hide his feelings on the release of Kimanzi on Wednesday.

"I am still disappointed about Kimanzi's departure because he had proved he had what it takes to help Kenya develop," Williamson told Goal on Saturday.

"But as Nick [Mwendwa] says, 'Ghost' has been there and done it, and if given time, he could bring success to the [Harambee] Stars."

Prior to his recent appointment, Mulee's last game as Harambee Stars coach was in 2010, during the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup held in Tanzania.

In the aftermath of that showing, 'Ghost' was forced to resign after Kenya posted one of their worst ever performances in the history of the competition, taking zero points from their group campaign.

The Harambee Stars suffered the humiliation of three straight defeats - 3-2 to Malawi, 2-1 to Ethiopia, and 2-0 to rivals Uganda – to crash out, leaving ‘Ghost’ with no option but to resign, citing lack of support from the then FKF office.

"It was during the 2010 Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup held in Tanzania where I met 'Ghost', Williamson, who at that time was in charge of Uganda, recalled.

"Kenya did not do well and he took the fault; I thought he was too honest when he resigned.

"He knows every player in Kenya and it is good he has been given another opportunity; I wish him all the best."

 After taking over at the Stars, Mulee assured Kenyans they will do everything possible to have all the professional players link up with the team ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Comoros in November.

"It is a tricky situation now dealing with foreign-based players, I say tricky because some clubs will not want [or will not be comfortable] to release their players to honour national team duty owing to the Covid-19 restrictions," Mulee told  Goal .

"The scenario is a very tricky situation but we will see how we can get our players, we will try and make sure we get our players, we will write to the clubs and try to explain to them the importance of the Comoros match, we will do our best to have our professionals come for the match."