CHAN: Pamzo tells Kenyans to ‘bring your boots’ at Kasarani

The Posta Rangers head coach called on Kenyans to rally behind their national side with a sense of patriotism, as he radiated conviction that Harambee Stars were primed to make history by lifting the CHAN title in their first time of asking.

“The fans will play a key role. It will be a motivating factor. If the fans turn up at Kasarani and cheer for our team, it will be very crucial for the players. But if the turnout is low and we constantly criticize the players and the coach, then we will not go past the group stage.”

The 55-year-old tactician also defended national team coach Bennie McCarthy, urging him to ignore external noise and focus on fine-tuning his squad ahead of the tournament that kicks off on August 2.

“Everyone feels entitled to their opinion. He can’t please everyone. If he listens to the critics, then he will not get the best out of his squad.”

Kenya is paired alongside Morocco, Angola, DR Congo, and Zambia with all the Group ‘A’ matches set to be played in Nairobi.

Harambee Stars will debut the championship, which is reserved for local-based players, against DR Congo on August 3 at Kasarani.

“On paper, Morocco and Angola are the favourites. Their local leagues are more competitive, and their clubs have done better in the CAF Champions League,” added Pamzo.

“For instance, Raja Casablanca from Morocco has consistently competed at high levels, and Angola’s Petro de Luanda have also impressed. Most of their national players are drawn from such clubs, meaning they are already familiar with the intensity of continental football.”

Pumzo lamented the struggles of Kenyan representatives in the continental football, saying it has left local players short of the experience needed at CHAN level

“Our clubs like Gor Mahia and Kenya Police have underperformed in CAF competitions. That lack of exposure hurts the national team because our players don’t get enough experience competing at the top.”

Despite acknowledging the challenge ahead, Pumzo remains optimistic that Harambee Stars can surprise the doubters and top the group, especially with strong fan support.

“We may lack in continental experience, but football is not always predictable. If the coach is given room to work and the fans show up in numbers to back the team, we can cause an upset.”