This archive report was first published on 13 August 2019.
On August 13, 2019, the Federation of Kenyan Football (FKF) made the decision to sack French tactician Sebastien Migne as Harambee Stars Manager. The reason cited for Migne's sacking was the team's disappointing performance at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON).
However, Migne had earlier hinted that he was not afraid of being sacked, suggesting that the Federation could not afford to pay off his contract. In an article published by Kahawa Tungu, Migne was accused of taking Harambee Stars hostage, with the aim of maximizing his financial gains from the team.
It is worth noting that Migne was paid on time for the AFCON tournament, but there were claims that the players had not received their camping allowances prior to the team's second leg match against the Taifa Stars of Tanzania. This might have contributed to the team's loss to Tanzania, and it is possible that Migne was not paid either.
The Federation's claim that Migne was sacked due to poor performance at AFCON seems to be disputed by the facts. Kenya's performance at the tournament was not entirely unexpected, given the teams that Harambee Stars faced. The team managed one win against Tanzania but failed to win against Senegal and Algeria, who were finalists in the tournament.
It is also worth noting that Migne was the man in charge of the team that saw Kenya participate in AFCON after a 15-year absence from the tournament. The team's performance was not entirely disappointing, as they were close to making it to the knockout stages.
Given the struggles of the Kenyan Sports ministry to sponsor national teams for continental outings, it is possible that Migne's salary demands were a major factor in his sacking. Foreign managers are expensive, and it may have been more cost-effective for the Federation to let Migne go.
