"Fighter" and Mulama recalled, Ayuko dropped as Hey names Stars squad

By James Waindi/The Standard

Harambee Stars coach, Antoine Hey, has recalled two Mathare United players to the national team set to resume training on Monday.

Stars, who lost the opening match 2-1 to Tunisia at home last month, face Nigeria’s Super Eagles for their second Group Two 2010 World Cup/Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on June 6 in Lagos.

The duo making a come back to the squad are Edgar Ochieng’, who captained the side during the regional tournament in Uganda early this year where Kenya finished second and veteran midfielder Titus Mulama.

Custodian Duncan Ochieng and midfielder Austin Makacha, who joined Swedish club Ik Sirius last week were, however, not recalled.

Hey had dropped the quartet a week before the Tunisia tie after they left camp without notice as they heeded their club’s call for a trip to Mombasa to face Bandari in a league match.

Speaking yesterday as he named a 23-man squad, Hey said he was introducing a commitment letter, which all the called-up players would have to sign before they join the camp to avoid conflicts between clubs and the national team over players.

"I would not like to see such a scenario in future and to avoid it I will need each player and his club to sign a commitment letter before the players report to camp. However, I am still going to talk with the Mathare United players to know what exactly led to their actions," said Hey.

Sher Karuturi’s goalkeeper Noah Ayuko was the biggest casualty in Hey’s team, while Petro Atletico’s striker Allan Wanga, Tusker defender Jockins Atudo and midfielder Jamal Mohammed also missed the team.

Hey said he was not impressed with the manner Ayuko easily conceded two goals against Tunisia and noted that Finland based Willis Ochieng and first choice goalkeeper Arnold Origi had fully recovered from their injuries and would be considered for the Nigeria tie.

On form Thika United midfielder Chrispin Olando, Nairobi City Stars defender Thomas Wanyama and Sofapaka skipper James Situma are the new faces in the national team, while veteran Ibrahim Shikanda (Azam) and Mike Baraza (Yanga) are making a come back.

Hey said the team was expected to leave the country on May 18 for a two weeks training camp in Germany where they are expected to play a number of friendly matches before flying directly to Lagos for the crucial match.

"We are planning to travel to Germany on May 18 for a two weeks training camp and while there we will play a number of friendlies against the local clubs. The professional players will join us in Germany and we plan to travel directly to Lagos on June 2," said Hey.

TEAM:

Goalkeepers: David Okello (Thika United), Wilson Oburu (Sofapaka); Defenders: Pascal Ochieng (KCB), Joseph Shikokoti, John Njoroge (Tusker), George Owino (Yanga), Ibrahim Shikanda (Azam), Thomas Wanyama (City Stars), James Situma (Sofapaka), Edgar Ochieng (Mathare United), Julius Owino (Gor Mahia), Mulinge Ndeto (Ulinzi); Midfielders: Fred Ojwang (Tusker), Peter Opiyo (Gor Mahia), Evans Wandera (Sofapaka), Osborne Monday (Azam), Chrispin Olando (Thika United); Strikers: Boniface Ambani, Benjamin Mwalala, Mike Baraza (Yanga), Francis Ouma (Azam), Victor Mugabe (Unattatched).

Copa Coca Cola News

By Erick Ochieng’/The Standard Group

Nairobi maintained unbeaten record to sail to the finals of Copa Coca Cola U-17championship when they thrashed Kakamega 3-0 at Coca Cola Stadium Thursday.

Fredrick Odhiambo of Nairobi was by yesterday celebrating his goal-keeping prowess as the only custodian yet to concede a goal in the tournament.

But Kakamega’s goalkeeper Ian Owiti easily allowed three goals that forced his team to settle for third-fourth place play-off.

Emmanuel Toastao, who scored a brace in the match to accumulate his goals to 10, toppled compatriot Daniel Mwaura, who has nine, from the golden boot race.

All eyes are now on the two in the final over who will clinch the coveted title whose package comes with good cash.

Mwaura opened the score sheet for Nairobi in the 16th minute when he drilled in a Toastao right cross to displaced indecisive Owiti the wrong way to put the scores 1-0 at break time.

Nairobi returned an energetic lot, with Tostao, who left many scoring chances went begging in the first half, taking full control of chances availed to him.

He headed in a Reuben Munyau right corner kick in the 47th minute before looping the ball in the yawning nets in the 51st when Owiti went shopping in the midfield to seal Kakamega’s fate.

Kakamega’s coach Stephen Shivachi was positive: "It was a great honour to play the Copa Coca Cola event.

Kisumu lost 4-2 to Bungoma on penalties after tieing 2-2 on regulation time.

Kisumu will thus meet Kakamega for third-fourth place play-off as Nairobi take on Bungoma in the final tomorrow.

The final stretch of the two-week Copa Coca Cola tournament strated in Nairobi on Friday. The winners get Sh500,000, second-placed Sh250,000 and third-placed Sh150,000.


What next after the Copa Coca Cola?

By Kandanda

The second edition of the Copa Coca Cola national under 17 soccer championship has been going on at the Coca Cola Stadium over this past week. It has witnessed brilliant footballing displays from across the country. Non traditional soccer regions such as Meru and Garissa have acquitted themselves quit well, getting to the knockout stages of the tournament which concludes this weekend.

Information out in the public domain reveals that a "Dream Team" will be selected at the end of this tournament to represent Kenya at an international youth soccer festival to be held in South Africa in 2010. What will happen to the "Dream Team" once they participate in the festival? Is this the only motivation for the boys?

While I write this article from a totally uninformed position, I do believe that there are one or two pertinent issues for the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) and Football Kenya (FK) to look at.

For starters, how about retaining this team as standing national team for the particular age group (under 17) and probably have the whole lot progress to the next age group before breaking into the senior national side?

The KPL and FK will have to work together to ensure that talent can not be simply allowed to go to waste. We have had too many talented players fall through the cracks due to the football authorities failure to follow up on their progress.

Keeping the team together is one thing, keeping them busy is another thing. This way they will gather the much needed experience and exposure that will keep them competitive for years to come. It will ensure that Kenya is able to spot players with the talents of Dennis Oliec for years to come, ensuring a steady supply of quality players who would in turn boost the national teams performances over a longer period of time. Achieving this is not rocket science, with the right approaches it can be done.

The ball is in the court of the dons at the KPL and FK.

Stars next qualifier at Kasarani

Courtesy of Sir Charles Nyende/Nation Media Group The June deadline for Coca-Cola National Stadium to meet the minimum recommendations by Fifa to host an international match will not be met outgoing Sports Stadia Management Board chief executive officer Sam Mwai said on Tuesday. After Kenya's chaotic World Cup qualifier against Tunisia on March 28, Fifa made several must-meet recommendations including numbered seating, crowd segregation in tandem with ticket bought, building of a tunnel for player's entry, having a doping room and changing rooms of players and match officials being adjacent to each other. "All these renovations will take time. We have to put out tenders, get architects to draw up plans and such like things which cannot happen overnight," Mwai said. Football Kenya Limited secretary, Sammy Obingo, said the a decision will be made on where to play Kenya's next home match on June 20 against Mozambique after the football body meets with SSMB to review changes at Coca-Cola. Mwai said Moi International Sports Centre had all the facilities demanded by Fifa and was available for Kenya's international fixtures. "All the federation needs to do is to put in a request for the venue." A Fifa's Stadium and Security Committee meeting in Zurich on Tuesday approved that FKL and Football Association of Malawi were currently not in compliance with the world soccer body's safety regulations. The committee subsequently ordered that FKL will be required to reduce the stadium capacity in Nairobi to 60 percent for their next home World Cup qualifying campaign. Malawi was warned their next three home games will be moved away from the Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre if they do not comply with Fifa's safety regulations by May 15. MISC and Coca-Cola are the venues that have been inspected and passed by Fifa to host international football matches in Kenya. Coca-Cola Stadium has, however, had several security glitches that have raised concern. In 2005, a teenage fan was trampled to death following a stampede at an overcrowded Coca-Cola Stadium during a World Cup qualifier match between Kenya and Morocco. The federation was subsequently fined by Fifa and ordered to stage Kenya's next international match under closed doors. Kenya's last international, versus Tunisia at Coca-Cola was held up for several minutes either halves because fans had perched up on top of the stadium wall and refused to climb down. "Fifa has been uncomfortable with Coca-Cola Stadium because of the difficulty of controlling crowds. They even wanted us to sell only 10,000 tickets for the Tunisia matches."

FIFA tell FKL to reduce Coke capacity ahead of next round of qualifiers

Resurgent enthusiasm about their national team Harambee Stars may continue to be a headache to Kenyans as Fifa ordered that the country reduces the number of people going to the stadium for international matches.

Fifa has ordered Kenyan soccer authorities -- Football Kenya -- to reduce the capacity of Nairobi's Coca Cola to 60% for their upcoming 2010 World Cup qualifiers.

Fifa are concerned that Kenya have not fully applied all their safety recommendations in recent matches. The football's world governing body believe that a reduced capacity will help Football Kenya to fully implement all their safety requirements.

Last year Kenyan matches involving Guinea and Zimbabwe at the 30,000 capacity Nairobi stadium were oversubscribed. This year, despite inflated gate entry fees, the stadium could not accommodate all those who wanted to watch the Kenya v Tunisia qualifying match causing fearful overcrowding.

ANOTHER STADIUM

Nairobi has a 60,000 capacity stadium on the North Western suburbs not favoured by low-income soccer fans who complain about extra costs of transport to the International Sports Centre, Kasarani, 20 kilometres from the city centre.

The FK secretary general, Sammy Obingo said on Monday evening that in coming three days the federation will be looking into means of complying with the Fifa instructions.

"This actually means selling as few as only 10,000 tickets for Coca Cola Stadium which translates in us putting the cheapest ticket at a minimum Sh700 (approximately $10) for us to cover costs of hosting the match."

MORE FACILITIES

Obingo said Fifa had also made demands for structural re-enforcements and putting up of several other facilities at the stadium.

"The stadium owners [the Kenya Government] are aware of the Fifa demands but what we hear from them is that there is no money to make the improvements," said Obingo.

Kenya and Malawi are some of the countries that have been ordered to improve security in their stadiums ahead of their upcoming 2010 World Cup qualifiers.

Malawi could play their next three home games outside their country if several structural and maintenance issues with the Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre are not resolved by May 15.

This comes as Fifa calls for its members to do everything possible to prevent stadium tragedies such as the most recent in Cote d'Ivoire just last month, nineteen fans died as Cote d'Ivoire beat Malawi 5-0 in a World Cup qualifier.

© Kenyan Premier League

Sofapaka lead the KPL after round 10

After 10 rounds (1/3 of the season) Leaders Sofapaka and second placed Thika United are the highest scor-ing clubs (12 goals each). Thika United has conceded the least goals (4) while Agro Chemical and Gor Mahia have conceded the most goals (14 each). The league re-mains highly competitive with 61 of the 80 matches (76.3%) being either draws or 1-goal victories. Only 7 points separate the top 11 clubs and only 3 points separate the bottom 5 clubs. An average of 1.8 goals have been scored per match.

Source: The Kenya Premier League