Kiongera replaces Oliech in national team
courtesy of goal.com
Kiongera, who plays for Gor Mahia on-loan from Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), has been recalled alongside AFC Leopards’ speedy winger Paul Were
Gor Mahia striker Paul Mungai Kiongera, who has recuperated from a thigh muscle injury, has been called up to the national team Harambee Stars squad preparing to face Malawi in a 2014 World Cup qualifier.
Kiongera, who plays for Gor Mahia on-loan from Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), has been recalled alongside AFC Leopards’ speedy winger Paul Were.
“Kiongera is always a good striker and I have wanted to use him for a very long time. I am glad he is fit to return after that nagging injury.”
“We also need Were because of his speed on the wings,” Coach Adel Amrouche told Goal.Harambee Stars lost their dream to qualify for the World Cup after losing by a solitary goal to Super Eagles of Nigeria on Wednesday.
They will now need to beat Malawi on Wednesday June 12 to ensure they finish in a respectable position in the pool.
Harambee Stars have only two points from two draws after four matches in the qualifers. They drew 0-0 with Malawi in the first leg match played in Nairobi last year.
Oliech axed
NAIROBI, Kenya, June 8- A day after pictures of France Ligue 1 AJ Ajaccio forward, Dennis Oliech, enjoying himself alongside his teammates at a social event three days before Harambee Stars took on the Super Eagles, head coach Adel Amrouche has ended his reign as the skipper of the national side.
The Belgian coach confirmed to SuperSport.com that Celtic FC star, Victor Wanyama, who led the side in the 1-0 loss to African champions, Nigeria, on Wednesday would take the role on permanent basis after making a raft of chances to the squad ahead of their trip to Malawi.
“I think it’s time to make changes to the team and I can assure you I will ensure Victor Wanyama remains as the Harambee Stars captain even after the suspension of Dennis Oliech is lifted,” Amrouche told the website as the issue of indiscipline in the squad came to the fore following the publishing of pictures depicting the team’s stars drinking and smoking shisha ahead of the crucial Nigeria tie surfaced online in addition to being printed in a local daily.
Oliech who was suspended for the game due to accumulation of two yellow cards was snapped at the Blanket & Wines event alongside team mates Jamal Mohammed and Patrick Osiako with a bottle of wine in a picture that surfaced on Face Book and Twitter.
“He is not a good role model to other players due to his off-field activities and late arrival in camp,” Amrouche decried.
Oliech was appointed skipper by former coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee taking the mantle from former South Africa’s Sanlam Santos defender having been virtually an ever present in the national team since making his debut in 2002 and is the all time leading goalscorer on 34 goals.
However, his off-field antics and partying lifestyle have seen the former Al Arabi, Nantes Antlantique and Auxerre striker make tabloid fodder particularly when he is away from his France base.
Midfielder Mohammed caused further outrage when he was splashed across the front page of The Standard smoking from a shisha pipe when the players were supposed to be in camp. He alongside Osiako who came on in the second half were roundly criticised for lethargic displays as Stars 2014 World Cup dream was all but snuffed following the loss.
Stars were due to depart for Malawi later Saturday or Sunday as they seek to end their Brazil Mundial campaign on a high with their home tie against Namibia in September completing their Group F assignment.
Then Kiongera will come back with another injury picked while playing for a useless team with no course. This national team is a disgrace. Even the Jamaican natonal team does not do those kind of things. How on earth does a serious professional sportsman smoke anything? It is high time that team was disbanded and a new team formed around Victor Wanyama, King David, Charles Okwemba, Jerry Jagoal, RM Kiongera, Shaban Kenga, Rama Salim and Patillah Omoto. The team name should be changed as a matter of urgency, perhaps to Safari Ants! One other thing is to change the kit colours to green, black or white as in the days of Fabisch, but certainly not red. That red is a sad reminder of past, present and future historical injustices.
Barefoot bandi
ff,I agree with you 100%.
BfB you are right has this player been given the clearance by Kogalo medics? Barely back on his feet and straight in Amrouche’s “Shisa” squad? I will read mischief in this if Kiongera will be fielded in Malawi. Its like some one wants to sabotage Kogalo’s plans to win this league and the plan is to further ground Kiongera.Shame on them, and when there is this kind of shortage of strikers, one would ask where is Blackberry for instance,what about Francis Ouma on a good day, Jesse Were, Ismael Dunga et al?
It was very embarrassing to see national team players smoking shisha a few days before game. With that indiscipline, loosing to Naija is no shock.
As for Kiongera travelling to Malawi, if he aggravates his injury then Kogalo should refuse to release any more players especially now that the games are meaningless
Yes DAN, that’s the way forward in your previous article on Cecafa.
Actually going by the way we play nowadays,and what has been happening in recent years, i consider the league a 50-50 competition and i would we rather take on these tournaments.
I repeat, Denmark won the Euro on invitation so it doesn’t matter winning it by qualification or by ‘right’.
This is entertainment. You can’t be sure of any trophy, i revisit my previous blog related to what bro Dan has mentioned above. Let’s learn from Ingwe’s last season going to the extent of boycotting top 8.
To me its not surprising the TZ teams are storming out of Cecafa, just last year they refused to play some matches to hold CECAFA management at ransom, while the Ethiopian team is just excited to go the far they have..its African to be over excited about normal things. i can’t say much about the mereiks and ilals but people can see unprofessional ism,politics sabotage and pure primitive behavior. Look at Tursker citing insecurity..insecurity! They also think concentrating on the league is a convincing line. Bure kabisa.
Barefoot Bandit i agree with you on the Shisha Harambee stars 100%
I disagree with @5 kassim. There is a difference between boycotting and being included to participate in a tournament,whether by right or default.
Just because Denmark were included by default and won it doesn’t mean it will work out the same way for Gor. As it is,we are struggling to register good results in the TPL,why should we burden ourselves further by taking part in a 2 week rigorous tournament that might do the team more harm than good?
Please let us concentrate on the task at hand as we also give our injured players time to recuperate from their injuries.Lets stop putting unnecessary pressure on the team to take part in a tournament we did not even qualify for!!!
GOR MAHIA B FOR CECAFA…imagine if we had a youth team, this would have been a perfect exposure.
I read at the official website a resolution by the ec to participate in the tournament if incase of an invitation. It will serve the team well if it happens. I remember people crying their throats hoarse against the pre season tour to avert injuries. No we didn’t have the tour this time round but here we are with injuries here and there, it doesn’t mean we will only win the league by running away from playing football! I admire the ec’s position of participating in as many competitions as possible because its the only way to strengthen the squad,win more trophies and money. Be informed that cecafa has more prize money that tpl which we also are eyeing, isn’t it better to get injuries(God forbid) playing in a well organized and profitable like cecafa than living in illusion of winning a league just by avoiding important activities?
Kassam. I totally agree with you, 1000%. We keep crying money for the club. Here we are, with an opportunity for the club to make that money. Take it up!! Gor Mahia is a football club with its only objective being playing football and this is a football tournament therefore go for it. All the best.
For God and my beloved club – Kogallo
Gentlemen whether or not Gor Mahia should participate in that tournament should not be a do-or-die matter. Our EC has given it the nod and so have eminent persons like Dan, Kassam, Oduor12, Jakoyo and Albert Kosero. Infact Albert has put it very clearly. I am therefore persuaded that we should embrace the idea and give our team a realistic chance of winning something now that the big teams have pulled out as Jakoyo cheekily puts it. Besides the money a win or a bruised nose against untested opposition might just be good for motivation.
I smell something fishy, however, with the EC’s eagerness on this matter. Are they doing this to create confusion and draw our attention from the transfer activities only to unveil to us another Giovanni?
A quick forensic audit of the players we have signed with injuries makes interesting reading. Gor Mahia seemingly has turned into some kind of sick bay where doors are openned to players who got injured but could not get proper medical care in their clubs. They come, take months on treatment and by the time they show some signs of healing we atart hearing of other teams showing interest in them. Think of Zachary, Innocent, RM Kiongera, Pablo, etc. I think we should open doors for Victor Ochieng and any other on the same grounds.
@8 and 9…..you talk like we are guaranteed that we will win the tournament!!
I will side with Oswozo @6,we are better served trying to win our league!no disrespect to Gor,Tusker are a more well knit squad at the moment,what are our chances of going to Sudan and lifting that trophy??
Amrouche really has a grudge against Oliech. See his statement about the coach preferring Kiongera to Oliech which is clearly false.
On another note, this is why Gor Mahia should go back to signing young players instead of just looking for established players to get on loan from other teams.