By Kenneth Wepukhulu
Kenya’s ex-international Osborne Monday will lead the country’s team for the inaugural WSH Elite Cup an African continental showpiece to be staged in Tunisia in December.
Osborne who featured for the 2009 Kenyan Premier League champions Sofapaka and 13 times winners Tusker FC will be in charge of World Sports Health Football Academy.
The CAF B coaching licence holder will be handling his first major assignment since retiring from active playing to focus on coaching.
“Before making a breakthrough in the senior ranks I want to start by coaching at the junior and youth levels, following in the footsteps of Spain’s national team Luis de la Fuente. Am passionate about coaching at this level of football and I thank World Sports Health Football Academy for believing in me by affording me this chance chance, “said Osborne who played for the two times Council of East and Central Africa Football Confederation (CECAFA) champions Tanzanian side Azam FC.
De la Fuente who guided Spain to the Euro 2024 victory in Germany recently, won the European Under-19 Championship in 2015 and then the European Under-21 Championship in 2019, including silver medal for Spain’s Olympic team at the delayed Tokyo Games in 2021 before earning the top job.
World Sports Health Football Academy will enter six teams in different age group categories of the mini African Cup of Nations (AFCON) to be staged ) in the harbour Port of El Kantaaoui in the city of Sousse.
The championship dubbed “WSH Elite Inter African Cup” will be held at the home of 10 times
Tunisian Premier League cup winners and nine times Africa continental champions in Africa Champions League, CAF Confederations, CAF Cup, Africa Cup Winner’s Cup and CAF Super Cup Etoile Sportive du Sahel scheduled for December 9th-15th, 2024 (group 1) and December 15th-22nd, 2024 (group 2).
The WSH organized Africa Youth and Junior Cup continental soccer tournament is Africa’s response to similar global international youth soccer tournaments in Asia, Europe, and South America.
“It is intended to compliment the good work of the Confederation of African Football (CAF),” said the event director Evans Chief during the launch of the tournament at a Nairobi hotel.
The Inter African Cup is open to football academies in the continent, in the age groups of Under 7, U-9, U-11, U-13, U-15 and categories.
The tournament is also open to junior national teams, Youth academy and school teams.
The fourth edition of the tournament will be held in Nairobi, Kenya in 2027 as the curtain raiser of the African Cup of Nations to be held in East Africa jointly by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in that same year.
South Africa have confirmed as the hosts of the second edition next year (2025), Tunisia will host the third edition but subject to another hosting country expressing interest in 2026 before moving to Nairobi in 2027.
Teams that have so far confirmed participation are hosts Tunisia, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria and Nigeria.
Teams from Europe are expected to take part in the tournament owing to the proximity of the European continent to Tunisia.
During the launch, the Tunisia ambasadeur to Kenya Anwar Ben Youssef said they will facilitate a smooth process of issuance of visas to the participating teams.
The tournament director Evans Chief said the teams will be considered on a first come basis in the six different age group categories.
For registration and details teams will have to access the tournament’s official website www.wshelite.com.