NAIROBI, April 14 (Xinhua) -- A notable Kenyan football coach on Saturday said Kenya's risks sinking further in FIFA rankings if football officials in the East African nation continue to secure friendly matches for the national team against lowly-ranked teams.
Amos Ingutia, who has coached some of Kenya's illustrious players, said that Kenya's drop from position 105 to 133 has been brought about by playing lowly-ranked teams in international friendlies.
"The national technical bench should decline such invitations even if they were all-expenses paid and instead seek to play against stronger opponents. Invitations against weaker sides should be extended to any of the national youth teams," the tactician said.
Ingutia who was trained by Kenya's most successful coach, Marshall Mulwa, has tutored players who went ahead to play for the national teams and leading clubs in the country.
The national men's lost 28 points to drop eight places from position 105 the country occupied last month to position 113 with 289 points in the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday.
This development was brought about after Harambee Stars performed dismally during friendlies staged in Morocco against the Central African Republic to which they lost 2-3 before drawing 2-2 against Comoros.
Neighboring Uganda remained the best-ranked team within the East and Central Africa region after they climbed four places from 78 to 74, as World Cup holders Germany maintained their position one spot.
"Football Kenya Federation officials ought to go back to the drawing board and plan afresh instead of doing the same thing the wrong way expecting different results. Last year the national team lost to Iraq and Thailand in international friendlies that saw a massive drop of 14 places in rankings from 102 to 116," Ingutia told Xinhua.
When calculating a team's points, FIFA takes into consideration match results, importance of match, strength of opposing team, and strength of federation (number of victories by the confederation at the last three World Cup competitions).
