Kenya U-17 coach William ‘Kanu’ Muluya blames AFCON miss on late preparation
Kenya’s U-17 coach William ‘Kanu’ Muluya says rushed preparation and limited player selection cost the Junior Stars an AFCON spot after a 3-0 loss to Ethiopia in Addis Ababa.
National U-17 head coach William ‘Kanu’ Muluya has delivered a frank assessment of Kenya’s shortcomings after the Junior Stars fell 3-0 to Ethiopia in Tuesday’s CECAFA U-17 AFCON qualification third-place playoff in Addis Ababa.
The match, which officially ended Kenya’s hopes of reaching next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, was played under immense pressure at Abebe Bikila Stadium. It offered Kenya its last chance to secure the region’s final ticket to the continental showpiece.
But after a goalless first half, Ethiopia took full control in the second, scoring through Dawit Kasaw Yirdaw, captain Binyam Abrha Teare and Biruk Eyilachew to seal a convincing win and leave Kenya’s players devastated at the final whistle.
Speaking after the match, Muluya conceded that Ethiopia’s quality and preparation ultimately made the difference.
“I think we did our best in the first half, we didn't score, and we didn’t even come close to being a real threat to them,” Muluya admitted. “They deserved to win in the second half, especially with the changes they made. They brought in their best players when we were doing the opposite, taking some of our best talents off the field.”
The coach praised his players’ effort but insisted the gulf in class was evident.
“In terms of quality, I think they possessed better quality than we. The boys really tried; we pushed them to the level they could, and that was their capacity. They could not go beyond that.”
Muluya highlighted preparation as the central factor behind Kenya’s struggles, contrasting Kenya’s hurried build-up with the continuity enjoyed by other regional contenders.
“If you look at Tanzania and Uganda, they are teams that have been together for not less than a year. Ethiopia have been in camp for not less than three months,” he noted. “All those teams making it to AFCON have early preparation, good selection of players and proper planning.”
Kenya’s own squad, he revealed, had been assembled barely a week before the tournament, during a period when many potential players were sitting national exams.
“This is a team that has been assembled for less than a week, and the tournament is played when we normally have exams in Kenya. It’s a disappointment, and we are sorry for the boys because their emotions are not served well.”
Muluya believes that for Kenya to bridge the gap, structures must improve, starting with early and continuous development of youth players.
“If we get it right, select players as early as now, and bring them together with consistent competition like Tanzania, who have a competitive U20 league and centres of excellence, then we’ll be on the right track,” he said. “We are there; it’s a start, and we have to try and make it next season.”
Despite the painful exit, the coach insisted Kenya must accept the reality of their current level while embracing lessons from the tournament.
“Sometimes we have to accept the reality of the situation. Preparation is everything. It’s not too late for us to emulate what the others are doing.”
The Junior Stars had shown flashes of potential earlier in the competition, drawing 1-1 with Somalia, beating Rwanda 2-1 and South Sudan 2-0 before falling to Ethiopia in the group stage and later to Tanzania in the semifinal.
With qualification hopes dashed, Muluya says the focus now shifts to building a stronger, more prepared outfit for the next cycle.
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