No room for aging Oliech, Mariga in World Cup squad
A host of senior players, including Dennis Oliech, McDonald Mariga and Paul Were, will not be called up when the Harambee Stars squad for October’s World Cup qualifiers is named.
The provisional squad is expected to be released Monday by coach Bobby Williamson, 10 days before Kenya play Mauritius in the preliminary phase of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
The first of this two legged clash will be played in Port Louis on October 7, with the return leg clash in Nairobi four days later.
“I have made a few changes to the team and will also try to do some things differently against Mauritius,” Williamson said Sunday.
Oliech and Mariga will not be considered for these matches owing to fitness concerns, a member of the technical bench who wished not to be named said.
The two have not featured competitively at club level for close to five months, and also are currently without clubs.
Were, who is based in Greece is injured and had challenges processing travel papers to return to his European base.
Some players, who featured in the this month’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Zambia, could also be dropped from the team on disciplinary grounds
“We are still investigating that matter and sourcing for evidence against those mentioned.
“If that is available we will definitely leave them out and hand that chance to a disciplined person,” the member of Stars technical bench said.
At the same time, Ulinzi Stars forward Kevin Amwayi and Bandari’s left full back Abdul Latiff Omar are likely to be called up. Harambee Stars have never qualified for the World Cup.