Interim Harambee Stars assistant coach John Kamau and former player James Situma have called for better preparations for the national team ahead of the upcoming African Nations Championship (CHAN) after Kenya was placed in a challenging group following last Wednesday’s draw.During the draw held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, Kenya was placed in Group A, widely regarded as the “group of death.” The team will face strong opposition from former CHAN winners DR Congo, and Morocco, alongside Zambia and Angola.##NAJAVA_MECA_8641746##The three host nations—Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania—were granted additional time to prepare for the tournament when CHAN was rescheduled from February to August. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) postponed the event following recommendations from its technical and infrastructure experts, who had been based in the three host countries, advising that more time is needed to ensure that the facilities and infrastructure meet the necessary standards to host a successful tournament.Despite having an extra six months to prepare both the infrastructure and the national team for a tournament that only features locally-based players, coach Kamau warned against complacency. He emphasized that while there is time, it could pass quickly, and Kenya must act now to be fully ready. He noted that the team is around 80% prepared but stressed the need for continuous training to reach full readiness.Ambani reacts to AFC Leopards’ heavy loss to FC Talanta”Sometimes, as Kenyans, we tend to think we have a lot of time, but if we don’t start early, we will be caught off guard. It would be pointless for the tournament to be postponed to August if we don’t begin preparing now. About 80% of our local players are ready, but we need to work on the remaining 20%. To achieve this, we need to have around eight training sessions monthly,” Kamau said.Situma, now the head of the Kenya Footballers Welfare Association (KEFWA), echoed the call for thorough preparations and stressed that only the best players should be selected for the tournament.”Proper preparations are key, and it starts with the league. We have quality players, but we need to ensure they are in top condition, and only the best should be selected. If we get everything right, we can surprise many,” Situma added.Currently, Francis Kimanzi is serving as the interim head coach of the Harambee Stars.Kenya’s Junior Starlets set for crucial World Cup qualifier against Uganda
