Departing Gor Mahia head coach, Johnathan McKinstry has expressed confidence in securing maximum points against, Harambee Stars when he leads Gambia against Kenya in search of a ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in March 2025.Starting Monday, the Northern Irish coach will officially take over the Gambia national team on a two-year contract.He will report to his new workstation barely a week after inspiring Gor to their 21st league title.##NAJAVA_MECA_8128977##He acknowledged his long-term hope for the Harambee Stars’ success but stressed the immediate competitive nature of their upcoming encounters.While he remains confident of beating Kenya, he in the meantime extended his best wishes to the Stars, particularly the players he has coached in the forthcoming matches against Burundi and Ivory Caost.”In the long term, I hope to see the Kenya national team and especially the players I’ve worked with do well,” McKinstry told Gor Mahia TV. “However, in the short term, that isn’t my objective because Gambia and Kenya are in the same World Cup qualifying group. So, it won’t be long until I’m back here in the away dugout, hopefully at Kasarani once it’s renovated,” he added.Four foreign-based players join Harambee Stars campMcKinstry emphasized that he won’t wish the Kenyan team well in the coming months due to their direct rivalry.”I wish Harambee Stars all the very best. I understand it’s a challenging job. And yeah, I hope they win six of their remaining eight World Cup qualifiers. But I’m sorry to tell you that I intend to take six points when we come back with Gambia,” he concluded.The Gambia national team officially confirmed McKinstry’s appointment on a two-year deal. The announcement came just three days after he guided Gor Mahia to their second consecutive Premier League title and a record 21st in the history of the domestic league.Michael Olunga set to buy Swedish clubMcKinstry will be tasked with the tough task of turning around the Gambia’s fortunes, with the team currently struggling on the international stage.The Scorpions have failed to secure a win in their last six matches and are suffering a group-stage exit from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
