Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa wants the newly-appointed Harambee Stars coach Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee to punch above his weight and secure Kenya a slot at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations and Fifa World Cup in Cameroon and Qatar respectively.
Mulee was yesterday handed the mandate at the helm of Harambee Stars on a three-year deal, replacing Francis Kimanzi.
"Mulee has won the league, Cecafa Senior Challenge and has handled Stars before, making him suitable for the job," said Mwendwa.
"He is the last local coach to guide Kenya to the Africa Cup of Nations and we found it necessary to ring changes on the bench and have him on board. We will give him what he wants going forward."
"I challenge him to find a way for the team to compete at the 2020 Afcon and World Cup tournaments. Before that, he has important assignments against Comoros next month as well as Togo and Egypt in March next year."
Mulee said he will take the bull by the horns after being promised what he called favourable working conditions that will see him return to the touchline for the first time in close to a decade.
The Radio Jambo morning show 'Gidi na Ghost' co-host admitted that the Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifications tests before him were tough but was hopeful of steering the team to meet the set targets.
"I sincerely thank the federation for having faith in me to steer the team to achieve the intended targets. After weeks of negotiations, and the working environment they offered me, I made a decision to return to the team."
"Even though I have been missing for long, I have been closely monitoring them and if their performance against Zambia in the past Fifa week is anything to go by, then we have a chance of making it to the rescheduled Afcon finals, " said the former Tusker coach.
Mulee, who has had four stints with the national team, is expected to hit the ground running in the next three days by naming local based players who will start training on Monday in readiness for the next month's Afcon qualifier against Comoros.
The former Yanga coach also revealed that he will name his backroom staff which includes his assistant and goalkeepers trainer in two days.
Stars host Comoros in the first leg on November 11 at the Moi Stadium, Kasarani and travel to Moroni for the return leg on november 15.
At the same time, Mwendwa, who remained coy on why Kimanzi left the team, said plans are underway to clear debts the federation owes to past coaches.
"We have already began the process of clearing with coaches who had been fired by the past regime and awarded compensation by Fifa and the Labour Relations Court. By 2022, we will be done with Adel Amrouche, Bobby Williamson and Sébastien Migne. Kimanzi's contract had clear exit clause so is Mulee's," he added.
