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Prepare Junior Starlets
Failure by the national women’s under-19 team, Junior Starlets, to qualify for the Fifa Under-17 Women’s World Cup should mark the start of preparations to ensure the team returns to the championship next year.
The team, which made history by qualifying for the championship last year, lost to Cameroon on 4-1 on aggregate on Friday. Junior Starlets might have fallen short in their last hurdle but the team has shown great potential and great talent. Therefore, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) must craft a plan on how the team will be kept vibrant for next year’s qualifiers.
Junior Starlets made history as the first Kenyan national football team to ever qualify for a football World Cup when they featured in the 2024 women’s under-17 World Cup held in the Dominican Republic in October last year.
Kenya must take advantage due of the Fifa Women’s Under-17 World Cup being held annually for the next five years, with Morocco hosting all the editions.
The team will need huge investment both financially and materially, and FKF must strengthen women’s football leagues from the age group to the Premier League level so as to have players churned out for the national team.
Junior Starlets was declared Team of the Year in the women’s category during the 2024 Sports Personality of the Year Awards a fortnight ago, with their coach Mildred Cheche winning Coach of the Year award.
Ms Cheche, who was appointed only in April last year, went against all odds, guiding the team to the historic World Cup. She is the right person to continue handling the team as she is conversant with the recruitment process.
Proper recruitment of players and exposure to quality opponents will be key as the team plans for next year’s qualifiers.
