Junior Stars head coach William Muluya has called for improved scouting and better preparation of young players following Kenya’s early exit from the Cecafa Under-17 Championship after a second consecutive 2-0 defeat, this time against Somalia.
Kenya lost 2-0 to Somalia in their final Group C match at Kigali Pele Stadium in Rwanda on Wednesday, with Mohamud Osman and Abdullahi Hashi scoring to seal victory for the Somali side.
The defeat condemned the Junior Stars to an early exit after they suffered an identical loss to Tanzania in their opening group match.
Speaking to Citizen Digital, Muluya, who also coaches Kariobangi Sharks, said Kenya’s reliance on school competitions in player selection highlighted the need for a more robust scouting system and greater exposure to high-intensity matches.
“Our selection relies more on school games. These are players who have never experienced such intensity, and I think it’s high time we changed our methodology, especially in terms of scouting. We need to expose the players more to competitions and high-intensity games,” said Muluya.
He added that Somalia’s preparations had given them an advantage, noting that their coach had told him the team began scouting and preparing for the tournament three months earlier.
“I’m not shocked that they are progressing in this tournament,” Muluya said.
Meanwhile, Somalia head coach Damir Dadir Ali said his team’s ambitions extended beyond reaching the next stage, with their sights set on winning the tournament and qualifying for the CAF Under-17 competition.
“Our aim is not progressing to the next stage of the competition but to clinch the tournament and qualify for the CAF U17 tournament. I believe in my players, and I’m sure we can achieve the dream if we work hard,” he said.
Kenya’s early exit highlights the need for a more structured approach to identifying and preparing young talent for international competition.
While experience is built over time, stronger scouting, consistent competitive exposure and better preparation could help bridge the gap against regional rivals.
The result also marks a setback for Muluya’s side, who reached the semi-finals of the previous edition in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The 2027 Cecafa Under-17 Championship is scheduled to take place in Rabat, Morocco, in April and May 2027.