NAIROBI, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Frenchman Sebastian Migne will not be relieved of his duties as Kenya's Harambee Stars head coach despite his team failing to get past the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Football Federation of Kenya president Nick Mwendwa said in Nairobi on Tuesday they will honor the Frenchman's three-year contract with demands he guides the team to qualify for the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon and the World Cup.
Kenya picked only three points after beating neighbors Tanzania in Cairo in the ongoing AFCON. However, they lost to Algeria and Senegal to bow out.
"We never tasked Migne with the demand to win the 2019 AFCON. His task is to help Kenya secure qualification to AFCON in 2021 and see if he can guide us to 2022 World Cup," Mwendwa said.
"Remember Migne only took over in May 2018 from Belgian Paul Put after we had lost our first qualifying match to Sierra Leone. Then we were not certain of even qualifying for the AFCON. His main task is to ensure that we qualify for the 2021 and get the team past the group stage."
Egypt's coach Javier Aguirre became the first causality to lose his job after the infamous loss to South Africa in the round of 16 match last Sunday.
Already, Tanzania's coach Emmanuel Amunike, an ex-Super Eagles coach, has also been send packing after Taifa Stars failed to sparkle in Egypt. Amunike has been coach of Tanzania since 6 August 2018.
Uganda who were eliminated by Senegal in the round of 16 have also parted ways with their French coach Sebastien Desabre through mutually agreement.
"The reasons for termination of the employment contract are for the benefit and growth of both parties," said Federation of Uganda Football.
Kenya hopes to rebuild from scratch ahead of the World Cup qualification while Migne, who is in France on holiday, is expected to return to Nairobi to steer the country's team to the Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) qualifiers, with match against Tanzania in August.
"We have to start somewhere to build Kenyan football. Uganda Cranes went to the 2017 event in Gabon and failed to win a single match, this time they reached the last 16, that kind of progress is what we are eyeing and the ongoing championship was a good learning opportunity," said Mwendwa.
Kenya team pitched camp in France prior to their assignment in Egypt, but still failed to tilt the scales to their advantage at the AFCON. Enditem
