Former Harambee Stars head coach Francis Kimanzi has officially been appointed as Kenya’s new Football Development Director.The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) on Thursday, March 12, announced Kimanzi’s new role, stating that they were confident his leadership and expertise “will play a pivotal role in advancing our development agenda and shaping the future of Kenyan football.”FKF appoints Francis Kimanzi as Football Development DirectorRead more: https://t.co/DtUaj0ktpp pic.twitter.com/VqYT1N7o4x— Football Kenya Federation (@Football_Kenya) March 13, 2025 Kimanzi, who earlier this year served as the men’s national football team interim manager, is expected to work hand-in-hand with the federation as it seeks to strengthen its structures, nurture local talent, and foster sustainable growth within the sport.The announcement marks the latest union between Kimanzi and FKF, following his three other stints as Harambee Stars manager, dating back to 2008.The 48-year-old served his last role with the national team as interim coach from December 2024, a position he relinquished to the new permanent manager Benni McCarthy last week.Pictures on Wednesday showed Kimanzi alongside McCarthy in Harambee Stars’ first day of training, prompting questions from the public on what his role was.Former Harambee Stars coach, Francis Kimanzi, was present at the team’s training session today.#FootballKE pic.twitter.com/mFgpFR8mXJ— Ole Teya (@TeyaKevin) March 12, 2025 And whilst McCarthy offered a detailed response, saying that he had to “rely on the intel from Coach Francis and some of the coaches that have been part and parcel of the team before,” FKF have now cleared up on his new job description.##NAJAVA_MECA_8773594##Work of a Football Development DirectorAs described in FKF’s brief statement on Thurdsay, Kimanzi will simply help advance Kenya’s football development agenda, while shaping up its future.His role will therefore be to ensure that football structures in the country are enabling for a smooth pathway of talent from development programs to the senior team.His remit will cover all age groups, spanning all the way from youth teams, to the national set-up.That means that in the current age, data analysis will be key to monitor player and team performances, identifying areas for improvement.Player development on one side, Kimanzi, a CAF A instructor, will also play a critical role in reviewing and evaluating Kenya’s coaching standards.Francis Kimanzi invited to facilitate CAF A Diploma in UgandaThat will involve developing, improving and managing the development of coaches, to ensure that they possess the necessary qualifications and skills.On the other hand, he will work in tandem with respective national team coaches, ensuring a cohesive and effective football operation.Lastly he will be part of a disciplinary subcommittee that will ensure standards of behavior by players, managers and coaches are aligned with FA codes.McCarthy impressed with quality as he takes charge of first Harambee Stars training session
