Nairobi  - Kenya heads into a crucial qualifier for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations against Nigeria on Saturday without German coach Antoine Hey, who has not turned up at training this week following a dispute with the Kenyan football authorities.

The Harambee Stars need to beat Nigeria in Nairobi and Mozambique to lose to Tunisia in Maputo in order to book their place in Angola.

However, their preparations have been thrown into turmoil by Hey's disappearance.

Hey - a former midfielder who played for Fortuna Dusseldorf and Schalke - has been in dispute with Football Kenya Limited (FKL) over disciplinary action he took against several key players earlier this year.

His walkout was apparently triggered by FKL ordering him to include several players he was unhappy with in the squad for the Nigeria game.

FKL has refused to say if Hey has been fired, saying only that assistant coach Twahir Muhiddin would take charge for the match against Nigeria.

In Hey's absence, star striker Denis Oliech, who plays for Auxerre, looks set to return after being dropped for the game against Tunisia.

Hey's record in charge of the Kenyan national team has been poor. Kenya sits bottom of its group - which also serves as a qualifier for the 2010 World Cup - with only one victory and four defeats.

The game is also crucial for Nigeria, which has a chance of qualifying for the World Cup. The Super Eagles must beat Kenya and hope that Mozambique can defeat Tunisia to hand them a place in South Africa. (IANS)