Ghost Mulee turns to grassroots after leaving Kenya’s top level

Jacob “Ghost” Mulee has decided against returning to top-level coaching in Kenya, choosing instead to work with young players at the grassroots. The former Harambee Stars coach wants to focus on building footballers from their earliest stages and hopes to discover another Michael Olunga.

Mulee believes a player’s initial development determines how far he can progress. His new priority is therefore to strengthen the foundation of young Kenyan footballers before they reach the professional ranks. He says this approach could help produce more players capable of matching Olunga, the Al Arabi forward whose early development he helped shape.

The decision marks a shift from a coaching career that has already taken Mulee through some of the biggest jobs in Kenyan and regional football. He guided Harambee Stars to the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia, ending a 12-year wait for Kenya’s return to the competition after their previous appearance in Senegal.

At club level, Mulee won three FKF Premier League titles with Tusker, lifting the trophy in 1999, 2000 and 2007. He also secured three CECAFA Club Championship titles and led Rwanda’s APR to the domestic league crown. Those achievements have established his record at the highest levels of the game.

Mulee’s decision is not a withdrawal from Kenyan football. Instead, he intends to use his experience further down the structure, where he can help young players acquire the skills and habits needed for professional football. His work will continue to influence the game even without a return to the dugout at the elite level.

He has also welcomed the growing preparation among coaches in the FKF Premier League. Mulee noted that many of them have completed a coaching course and gained additional knowledge, which he believes should contribute to a more competitive season. For now, however, his own attention is on developing the next generation from the beginning.