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KENYA
NIGERIA
There have been plenty of coaching casualties this year in Kenyan football.
Francis Kimanzi, Sammy Omollo, Salim Ali, Gabriel Njoroge and Anaba Awono just to name a few come to the fore when you think about the high profile sackings.
They were all shown the door under the same circumstances; poor performance, and we all unanimously agreed that their time had come.
One coach though, was sacked, with not everyone sure if his sacking was due, or if he was really culpulable for his team's fortunes. There was a measure of doubt in his dismissal.
Francis Kimanzi.
Divided opinion
Apart from Arsenal's Arsene Wenger, I do not think there is a coach who has divided public opinion as much as Kimanzi.
There are some who like Kimanzi because they feel that he is talented.
Others like him because he is young (ish)
For many, he was the best read Kenyan football tactician.
Elsewhere, he was just the best local option.
Wanted him out
Others, and I land here, wanted him out of the Stars job ASAP.
Because he was full of himself.
Squad selection was openly biased, lacking in meaning and bereft of ideas.
The tactics were never great. We looked as if we depended on Dennis Oliech all the time, which was not necessary.
Disregard for people's feelings, opinions and liking. It felt like Kimanzi was the king of coaching, like he was answerable to no one but himself.
Dissapeared
I remember when he was sacked as Stars coach and then re-appointed as FKF Technical Director.
The vitriol that poured due to that decision, was just unreal... Again, opinion was divided like a chick flick.
Others saw it as a bright move.. He could work with the youth and lift the standards of the young and upcoming.
Elsewhere, he did not get any love, as people thought, why promote a failure?
Kimanzi.. again dividing opinion.
Dissapeared
Interesting enough, he has gone undergroud and is nowhere to be seen. For now, his whereabouts are unknown.
But as he has shown before, he will show up at some time, you never know when.. He will be back.
What if he showed up next season as AFC Leopards coach after the sacking of Jan Koops?
I wouldn't be the least surprised.
