Don't rest on your laurels, Wanyama tells Kenyan CHAN stars

Victor Wanyama has advised Harambee Stars players not to get carried away by the cash bonuses they received from President William Ruto, for their participation in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) competition that is being co-hosted by Kenya Uganda and Tanzania.

The former Harambee Stars captain said the players need to invest the money wisely in projects that will benefit them and their families in future.

Each of the players in the CHAN squad received KSh 5.5 million from President Ruto, on top of the allowances given by the government through Football Kenya Federation (FKF).

Besides, the team could get more from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), once the cash prize of reaching the quarterfinals is released, total of KSh 58 million. 

He cautioned it is would be regrettable if players went on a spending spree, forgetting such opportunities are rare.

“That was a good gesture from the President and the federation. It kept the players going and really boosted the team's morale. What they need to do is to invest wisely the money for their future benefit,” said Wanyama.

The former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder also wants the players to be hungrier in pursuit of football success.

“They should not get comfortable with the money they received.  They need to be hungry to push themselves more, for them to get more opportunities outside the country to play and make more money,” added Wanyama

The Kenyan international is one of the ambassadors for the CHAN competition, and is impressed with the Kenyan fans' love for the sport as exhibited during the competition.

“The fans were fantastic throughout the games both in the stadiums, in the streets and at home.  They showed how much they value football and that really pushed the players. I pray that this momentum goes on in future," he noted, saying the players have the obligation to keep working hard and avoid letting down their fans in the future assignments.

Kenya bowed out of the competition in the quarterfinals, after losing to finalists Madagascar in post-match penalties.