Kenya U20 head coach Salim Babu has revealed his strategy to ensure the Rising Stars post a successful campaign at the upcoming 2025 U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).Rising Stars qualified for the continental tourney after emerging as the runners-up of the CECAFA region qualifiers and will now be one of the two countries alongside Tanzania that will represent the region in the tournament that will take place from Saturday 26 April to Sunday 18 May 2025 in Ivory Coast.Free agent Victor Wanyama reveals offers on table, rules out early retirementBabu who was in charge of the team during the qualifiers and also coached a majority of the players at the U18 CECAFA Championship has claimed that he will be scouting for players around the country and the globe (stars abroad) to ensure that he takes a solid team with him to the tournament.“We have called around 40 players and we will still add others later. We will thereafter know who to pick and drop after the camp as we try to make a formidable team,” said Babu.##NAJAVA_MECA_8737237##The Nairobi City Stars tactician was speaking during the first of a three-day mini-camp for the Rising Stars where he is leading a selection of players, majorly from Nairobi and its environs with another camp scheduled later for other regions.Kenya has been placed in Group C alongside Senegal, Zambia and Sierra Leone. Babu targets at least a semi-final finish which would guarantee the country’s participation in the 2025 FIFA World Cup.AFC Leopards finally secure venue for Sunday’s Mashemeji Derby against Gor Mahia“We want to pick the best because we want to proceed to the World Cup later in the year,” he added.Babu also took time to explain the reasons for reporting to camp early.##NAJAVA_MECA_8737223##“We started our U20 AFCON preparations early because we want to have adequate time for preparations.”Further, the former Kenya Police FC gaffer assured the country of a great performance at AFCON, appreciating the pool of talents at his disposal.Kenyan defender finally joins Mozambican club months after transfer linksKenyans should expect good performances from us. We have many quality players. There are some in Europe and also some good players that we left behind when we went for CECAFA and so we will assess all of them to ensure that we leave with a good team.
