Zico said he is confident that with continued focus and tactical
discipline, Harambee Stars can achieve their dream of featuring in the continental and global showpieces.
“I believe in the
players to go all the way to the summit. I am so proud of our team and
our nation this far,” he said. “If we remain
focused as a team, we will go far, and I know the sky's the limit,” Zico added.
The Pamoja tournament, co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and
Tanzania, is set to conclude on August 30.
He stressed that the progress has been admirable despite being drawn in
what many termed the ‘group of death’. Kenya is pitted against Morocco, Angola, DR Congo and Zambia.
“At the moment, we should try to
win at least a game at a time, and I am hopeful we will continue playing
fantastic matches.”
He
praised the players and the technical bench for showing resilience in
the matches, particularly when the team played with ten men.
“The boys have delivered, and the technical bench deserves a pat on the back,” he said. He also attributed part of the success to government
incentives.
“Earning Sh1 million plus in 90minutes, especially for our locals, is not a joke and we thank the government for the motivation the players and technical bench as a whole. This has triggered great performances.”
The tactician also highlighted the contribution of Gor Mahia players in the squad.
“The first match saw us feature four Gor Mahia players— Austin
Odhiambo, Alphas Onyango, Alphonse Omija and Sylvester Owino, who played very well.
Considering Austin scored in the first two games, shows Gor Mahia
is well represented,” he said.
Owino is one of two players who have played every minute of the three CHAN 2024 matches that Harambee Stars have featured in. He also acknowledged Ben Stanley, who featured in the match against Morocco, where Kenya won 1-0.
Zico further urged fans to exercise discipline to avoid jeopardising Kenya’s position in the tournament.
“I hope fans understand that no more football hooliganism is tolerated. We should be very careful so as not to jeopardise our position. It’s high time we register that in our minds,” he warned.
With
most stadiums undergoing renovation before the tournament, he expressed
optimism that Harambee Stars will soon enjoy top-class pitches.
“It is
always good to play on a good pitch because the standards of play
automatically go up,” he remarked. He, at the same time, called for proper maintenance of the
refurbished venues.
After
stepping in as interim head coach at Gor Mahia following Sinisa
Mihajlovic’s resignation, Zico guided the team to stability before
exiting recently.
Under his watch, Gor maintained their competitive edge
in the FKF Premier League, and he now finds himself in Tanzania as he
looks to broaden his coaching horizon.
“Currently,
we are in the second week of pre-season matches with Tanzania Prisons
FC,” he said.
“I must admit, there is better organisation on this side.
The management of teams is on a higher level compared to Kenya’s local
league, and the competition amongst teams is also a bit on top.”
He also highlighted the prowess of the neighbouring country with the hopes of having to meet them in the finals at home ground.
