Olunga left out of U23 qualifiers
Gor Mahia striker Michael Olunga will not be in the traveling squad as the Kenya U23 team travel to Botswana for the opening round of the 2016 Olympic qualifiers.
The Kenya Under-23 team departs for Lobatse via Gaborone this evening ahead of tomorrow’s preliminary, first leg clash at the Lobatse Sports Complex. Team Kenya is coached by former Gor Mahia coach Bobby Williamson.
Olunga, who studies Geospatial Engineering at the Technical University of Kenya,has been excused from the match this weekend, due to end of semester exams.
As for Gor Mahia fans, they will likely not be dissapointed that Olunga will not travel to Botswana.Staying in Kenya will leave him more rested for Gor Mahia’s next match.
The last time the Kenya U23 side competed was against Egypt when Kenya lost 4-1 on aggregate. Two Gor Mahia players, Olunga and Timothy Otieno played in the return leg at Machakos. Olunga proved a handful for the Egyptians. Kenya’s goal which came from a penalty was scored as a result of Olunga being brought down in the penalty box.
In Olunga’s absence, coach Williamson will depend on Enock Agwanda whose form of late has been below expectations especially for a player who 3 years ago was touted as the next Dennis Oliech.
Coach Williamson for his part has yet to impress as Harambee stars coach and will be hard pressed to conjure up a result.
“To be honest we never played that badly against Egypt. The lessons learnt from those games is that it is important to get something in the away matches. Our recent friendly fixtures in Seychelles will be key” Williamson told Daily Nation Sport.
Of late, Kenya’s record against teams from southern Africa has not been stellar. Last year it was Lesotho who eliminated Kenya from the AFCON 2014 qualifiers and in 2013, Botswana beat Kenya 2-1 in the COSAFA cup.
The position of National Team tactician is Zico’s and it is just a matter of time before the appointing authorities realize their mistake of relieving Zico of his duties some 3 years ago. Zico should start preparing to take up his rightful position because very soon heads will roll for underachievement.
Barefoot, this is your opinion. How come Zico has failed to inspire Sony? National team problems are ranging by poor administration by FKL, financial misappropriation, age cheating, lack of focus, poor football development, wrangles and continued fighting over supremacy. Even if Zico is rehired, I do not think whether Zico nor Wenger nor LVG nor Mourihno nor Pep nor the best coach in the world can be able to sort out our national team problems.
We need political goodwill to come out of this national quack-mire.
I do not think whether half of the current team in the camp are under 23 years. Why are we cheating the world and football pundits?
Take for example Enock Agwanda, I have been hearing of Agwanda since 2008.
Hearing of a player for long doesn’t make him ‘old’. What if he started playing at 16 like Aguero? Etoo is still playing yet his ‘age mates’ in Kenya retired long time ago. So long as the player’s passport indicates that age the rest is just academic unless we have the scientific check
Hahaha. Dan Original that is very interesting.
Let us call a spade a spade and give opportunities to the right age. When will the right age play? Why are we recycling old players in the name of under 23? This is the reason why our National team and clubs will never go anywhere because of cheating.
My brother, Jamigori, I care the least how the national team performs. What I don’t support is the manner with which Zico was tossed out of the team by Nyamweya at a time the Gor Mahia legend was doing very well with the national team. Do you remember our game against Angola in Luanda when Boniface Oluoch was the goalie? Zico may not have been successful at club level but as national team tactician I support him fully and watch this space; Nyamweya will soon have to swallow his pride and eat humble pie.
Its possible that Agwanda is still U23. He sat form 4 at Kodero Bara in 2011. That was the year he played in KPL U19. But I admit he may have done form 4 when already in his twenties.
The issue with Agwanda is that he was so highly touted by several coaches. Truth be told, even Olunga was highly touted when he was in form 4. Its very difficult to live up to expectations. Everyone is looking for the next Dennis Oliech or the next Mike Origi. Hawako
GORSPACIAL engineering. ……
Listen. I wonder why fun’s belittle the club with schooled footballers.
Call them geospacial stone throwers.
Olunga. …guarantee your future after Gor and Harambee stars. You never know