Dan Serunkuma could be Philip Omondi in reverse
Dan Serunkuma has expressed an interest in playing for the national team, Harambee stars. The striker whose explosive combination with Rama Salim has been a the forefront of Kogalo’s revival has reiterated the fact that he was ready to help the striking problem for Harambee Stars by giving his best in the position that has lacked a natural finisher except Dennis Oliech according to supersport.
“I want to play for Harambee Stars and its upon the federation now to come up with modalities on how I can do so. I love Kenya and believe I can bring the difference to the team in the striking department.”
“Nothing is difficult as long as you have the hope and the willingness for change and I make this call with an open mind and heart since I have grown to love the country and would gladly love to be of service to Kenya and take them to greater levels,” Serunkuma exclusively told supersport.com.
“In life people make decisions and I believe this is a country that can help my career grow since established myself here. Many players are playing for their adopted countries and I will not be the exception,” he added.
Should Serunkuma be allowed to play for Kenya, it could be the reverse of Philip Omondi who played for the Uganda Cranes in the 1970s. The legendary Omondi is still to this day recognized as the best Ugandan player ever. He is indeed a Kenyan by descent. He was born in 1957. In those days, families migrated freely between Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya.
Omondi’s defining moment came in the 1978 Africa nations cup where he finished as the top scorer, was voted player of the tournament and steered Uganda to the final where they lost to Ghana. The goal he scored against Nigeria in the semis is remembered today in Ugandan folkore as the best goal ever scored by a Ugandan striker.
In fact Omondi was not the only member of that Uganda cranes team with Kenyan connections. Midfielder Tim Ayieko who starred for Uganda at the time is also Kenyan. Speedy Winger Abbey Nassur, a key member of that 1978 team had a Kenyan mother. Both later played for Kogalo.
Serunkuma for his part has what can only be described as a very rapid first step which often leaves defenders for dead. This he displayed in the recent derby against AFC when he blew past a defender and sent a rising shot into the roof of the net. This quick first step is reminiscent of one Mike Otieno. The product of Musingu secondary who joined Kogalo at age 18 in 1988 was stocky and built just like Serunkuma and was also as explosive and often blasted down the left wing with whiplash speed.
Players being naturalized to play for other countries has become common place nowadays and is a good way for a national to expand its options. Serunkuma could be the answer to Kenya’s striking problems.
Great move and positive thinking young man! All the best and I hope you keep your feet firmly on the ground and remain forcused in your career, sports is a short career and make the most of chances that come your way, taking risks is part of the game, wish you al the luck!
HOPE its true not ajoke so that we mail lies and feel great then later we cry .and how sure are we us fans he would play long for gor before he leavs us crying loud. its his right to move like now we prais him time to go we talk all harsh words on him ?hes good kamaliza but hope he works alot xtra coz other players are looking his skills also .us we are waiting true or false the story .and it should not be like masika stly EC dnt wait untill season ends then u start pushings fans to the wall .plan now EC
The one thing that is agreed is that kenya is struggling in front of the goal. At least it is a fact that no one argues against.For me the fact that there is one player who is talented and is responding on his own volition to this gap, requires full support from this country. After all we thank God for the new Constitution which facilitates such moves. Please do some thing to this effect because we are in a crisis.
I say big NO to this move. Let him play for Cranes instead. I can only be proud of my national team made of true nationals – Kenyans. Where is Bob Mugalia? Let us not entertain this kind of thing. That is my plea.
Dani “sebbo” Serunkuma is a wonderful finisher, no doubt about it, but please let him play for Kogallo and Uganda Cranes.
For God and my club Kogallo
I strongly agree with @Albert Kosero (Sofaset Branch Kampala). Where is Bob Mugalia?
same hype that was there with Mugalia…good as Serunkuma is,let him try and work his way to the Cranes.If the coach feels he is up to the task,he will certainly get a call up.For now,let us continue searching for a striker within our kenyan ranks!!
Guys, are you aware of a double header on saturday? if this is true, then mathare should not get anything more than 80k.
mcosweto plse am behind the news tell us plse wht mathare?
Very tempting move Dan
I totally agree with Kosero and Fred. Let Danny play his way to the Cranes. Again,Football is not played and won with hype. One reknown coach once said form is temporary and class is permanent.
It is these shortcuts and pathetic noise that has cost GM the high player turnover we currently see. We kept wondering why some players were recruited to GM in the first place! This as majority cheered and somehow led the EC to the so called ‘stars’. Now the same horror is being extended to HS.
Left to me, i think all those strikers we keep praying for are already born in our beloved country its only that we keep dreaming and falling for quick fixes. I tend to think at GM we are doomed to ever believe things are worked the ‘Harambee'(fundraisers) way. NO WAY. NO WAY. Players are developed. That’s the only way.
We must own up to the fact that the reason European and other continents are worlds apart with Africa is because they know the fact ‘ Players are developed’ not ‘Harambeed’.
Question: When GM won the Mandela Cup what was the composition and background of the players?..its obvious things have changed. But definitely we’ve not changed and still hold on to…..Hop step and jump or is it Potea pata ya players( rightly asked here above where is Mugalia?
Saturday fixture. Mathare utd vs oserian at 2pm then Gor mahia vs Karuturi at 4pm both at City stadium. This means a double header but I don’t know why our EC agreed to such arrangement.
So because Mugalia did not succeed then Kenyans should avoid nationalizing players ?
What about others who have succeeded after being nationalized ? There was a Zairean who helped Zambia win Africa cup juzi.
Kenyans should not be short sighted. Not every striker who changes nationality will be an instant hit. Some like Mugalia will be slowed down by injuries. But the key is to give the national team more options. A Serunkuma comming off the bench to replace Kemboi will give opposing defenders nightmares. And since Kenya has no youth development structures to develop homegrown talent, why not give Serunkuma a chance.
Guys look at a team like German. So many of their top players are from outside. Some are from Poland, Hungary etc. USA has the same issue of migrant players, even the US coach Klinsman is a migrant. So I see no problem so long as dual citizenship is allowed. It’s a personal choice.
On the double header, the plan is made by TPL and supersport. The other option we have is to play on a Wednesday as was earlier arranged. The thing is that for double headers we get like 80% of the gate collection minus all the deductions. Unfortunately we cannot have it our way all the time. Let’s hope we win the game to take the race to the wire, after which we remain to tackle Tusker on the title decider. Tle slogan remains: ONE GAME AT A TIME
Telling Dan to try his luck at the cranes is same as telling Wekesa,Lavatsa and Nasio to try it at AFC.Is it logical.
My opinion is let Dan “Flava” play 4 Kenya if its his choice and he makes the cut.
This issue of double headers is really disheartening.Once EC has agreed to it then GMFC stand to lose revenue since the gate collections will be shared.Its plain and simple EC should never allow K’galo’s home games to be double headers coz it already painful that our club gets zero 4 away games even though it provides the fans.
Solution agree the fixtures at the beginning of the season, taking all possible factors into account.Then all parties stick to the programme and 4get all these petty petty postponements ati- Michel need time to train,ati Efusi needs to get their office in order.In other leagues only adverse weather can cause postponement of league and cup matches.Get professionals to do some NETWORK ANALYSIS for the Kenyan football calender.
Why are we discouraging him? If cranes coach has continued to overlook him, then Dan should show his football case for Kenya national team. There is no way to compare Dan with Bob Mugalia. These are different players with different skills and background.
Why do we like sulking too much. The reason why there is a double header on Saturday is because the 2 matches will be live on supersport. Whenever supersport telecast a match live, the teams involved are usually paid. Not unless we have prove that what is going to be collected is more than what Supersport will pay, I don’t see why we are sulking.
For God and my club – Kogallo
Kosero I think you need to look at the way football has grwon globaly, Portugal(Deco), France naturlaised so so many! Germany has so many curent naturalised players even Danny Welback has afriocan heritage, Nani is African but plauying fopr Portugal, Baloteli etc ansd the list goes on, if this boy can be naturalised and it is what he feels like so be it! please guys think outside the square! How m,any Kenyan runners do we see turning out for other countries??
Kosero I think you need to look at the way football has grwon globaly, Portugal(Deco), France naturlaised so so many! Germany has so many curent naturalised players even Danny Welback has afriocan heritage, Nani is African but plauying fopr Portugal, Baloteli etc ansd the list goes on, if this boy can be naturalised and it is what he feels like so be it! please guys think outside the square! How m,any Kenyan runners do we see turning out for other countries??
Kosero I think you need to look at the way football has grwon globaly, Portugal(Deco), France has naturlaised so so many players! Germany has so many curent naturalised players even Danny Welback has afriocan heritage, Nani is African but plauying fopr Portugal, Baloteli etc ansd the list goes on, if this boy can be naturalised and it is what he feels like so be it! please guys think outside the square! How m,any Kenyan runners do we see turning out for other countries??
Good people of kogallo,i salute you in the name of the most high?
Messrs Albert kosero,Barefoot bandit and kassam mwavingano,i beg to differ.
From the onset,we all agree that kenya has a striking problem,sivyo?Since the retirement of mike okoth,the only players who have come close to being called strikers (according to me),are only deniss oliech and francis were(rip).
So we all agree that for close to 15 yrs,we have only managed to produce 3 top notch strikers in this country!
Sserunkuma,may not reach the levels,of mike okoth,neither will he be a solution to all our striking problems,(the solution i believe is youth systems).But one thing,i believe for sure,he will be of help to us today and tomorrow(short term),as we try to lay foundations for long term solutions.
Otherwise,to dismiss,danny, on the grounds that ,mugallia was there and flopped’,is to say the least,’simplistic’.In any case,if his form dips,simple,just like anybody else,he gets dropped.What will it cost us? Nothing.
So good people lets’ support danny on his bid to become,a kenyan.The only question should be,’does henri michel feels and thinks that danny fits in his plans?’
What is the hurry about? Why don’t we go back to the basics, groom our own sons to score goals for us as a country instead of resorting to shortcuts. We all know where the problem is but unfortunately we want to use shortcuts to arrive at the solution which are short term. Let us be self reliant by grooming more strikers. How long are we going to give non-kenyans citizenship to score goals for us, goals that do not even come sometimes. How Many goals has Mugalia scored for Kenya so far?
I shall only be proud of Harambee stars made of Kenyans with goals scored by Kenyans.
For God and my club – Kogallo
TO BE NATURALISED OR NOT, LEAVE IT TO DANNY
I wanted to leave this debate to the usual suspects on this blog- the lot who criticize anything just for the sake of it.
First of all, Dan has made invaluable contribution to Gor Mahia. He is no doubt a lethal striker and has also created creative chances to Salim. I am sure before the curtains falls on the 2012 TPL season, he will net more goals to place K’Ogalo in a respectable position if not lifting the silverware. And why not?
Fans have every right to suggest such overtures to Dan. It is only the player who can express his interest to apply for naturalization. This does not mean Kenyans lack talent. Instead Kenya is a sleeping football giant. I am quite optimistic, football in Kenya is on the mend. The new institutional and legal framework already in place is going to turn around football in Kenya. The recent inclusion of Puma- the leading ball manufacturers in the TPL is a clear indication of how the league is evolving. Dan is welcome but it is upto him to make his mind.
That is a good decision but then I always wonder whenever one reaches Harambee Stars there seems to be some laxity and if you think I’m lying just remember Bob Mugalia’s case…