Kenya’s football coach blasts fans after Malawi win
Nairobi: Kenya football head coach Sebastian Migne turned on his team’s fans following their 1-0 win over Malawi in an international friendly here.
Midfielder Francis Kahata netted the all-important goal in the 77th minute of a cagey encounter at a sparsely filled Moi International Sports Centre on Tuesday, reports Xinhua news agency.
Speaking after the game, the former Congo Brazzaville head coach called on local supporters to turn up in large numbers when Kenya host Ethiopia next month in a Group F 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Cup (AFCON) qualifier at the same facility.
He castigated his side for failing to express themselves in the game despite their second victory in succession following their stunning 1-0 victory over Ghana that revived their hopes of making the AFCON finals for the first time since 2004.
“(The) first half was boring, 1,000 excuses for that but sometimes it is difficult to land the high level. For that, we need to learn to bring the fans with us, to be there. If we have one chance to be at the AFCON, we cannot be alone only with the players, we need fans too and I hope that against Ethiopia, (we) see the stadium full of fans,” the Frenchman lamented.
His outburst against the notoriously difficult to please Kenyan football fans who have endured over a decade of international disappointment comes hot on the heels of his public criticism following their win over Ghana.
Following the game where his side played the last half an hour with 10 men after Joash Onyango was sent off in the 61st minute, Migne declined to field questions from the media.