Former Harambee Stars coach Kimanzi lands new job

Former Harambee Stars coach Francis Kimanzi. [Kelly Ayodi, Standard]

Former Harambe Stars head coach Francis Kimanzi has been appointed as the new Wazito FC coach ahead of the 2020/21 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League campaign.

This comes in the wake of sacking of head coach Fred Ambani, assistant coach Babu Salim and goalkeeper trainer Elias Otieno last week.

Wazito CEO David Gacheru said that Kimanzi will be assisted by former Thika United coach John Kamau with Sam Koko serving as goalkeepers trainer.

"We have appointed Francis Kimanzi as our new coach and he will be assisted by the experienced John Kamau. We are now set for the new season," said Gacheru.

Kimanzi, who was replaced by Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee in the Harambee Stars hot seat, takes up the responsibility of turning the moneybags into title contenders after several trials by a number of coaches who have been shown the door in a year.

Wazito goes for Kimanzi's expertisehttps://t.co/hx2UDCoowL#Wazito4life pic.twitter.com/VWoB9GpX7Q — WAZITO FOOTBALL CLUB (@wazitofc) November 19, 2020

The tactician has now set his sights on helping the team to the top ahead of the forthcoming campaign.

"We want to get the team to get to a winning rhythm. We want Wazito to be a big force in the local league but that means hard work and executing our trainings well ahead of the league,” he said.

Francis Kimanzi reacts during morning training session at Kasarani stadium in Nairobi on October 07, 2020 ahead of their International Friendly match against Zambia at Nyayo national stadium on Friday, October 09, 2020. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Kimanzi will start his FKF Premier League campaign with a clash against Kariobangi Sharks on November 29 before playing away against Mathare United on December 5.

Wazito will then take on Sofapaka on December 9, tackling Ulinzi Stars on December 13, and then wind up their opening five fixtures with a clash against KCB on December 26.

The team is aiming at performing better this season after struggling to a 13th place finish in the abandoned 2019/20 season.

The experienced tactician becomes the seventh coach to join Wazito in one year after Ambani, British coach Stewart Hall, Harambee Stars Under-20 coach Stanley Okumbi, Fred Ouna, Hamisi Abdalla and Egyptian- American Melis Medo.

Kimanzi at Moi International sports centre, Kasarani during the second 2021 Africa Nations Cup Qualifiers Group G match against Sparrow Hawks of Togo. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]