Stars eliminated
Harambee stars were beaten 2-1 by lowly Botswana in their 3rd match of the COSAFA cup that is being held in Zambia. There were five Gor Mahia players in the starting line-up. Botswana had taken an early lead when Lemponye Tshireletso beat Jerim Onyango with a well taken free-kick in ythe 12th minute. An own goal giftted Kenya the equalizer in the 86th minute but Botswana scored the winner in injury time to beat Kenya 2-1
Blessing in disguise
The inability of the Stars to make the quarter finals while playing against inferior teams is a sad commentary on Kenya football. However there is no structured youth development in Kenya so shameful losses like these should no shock to any Harambee Stars fan.
However it could be a blessing in disguise for Gor Mahia who have been providing the bulk of the players in the starting line-up. Gor Mahia players had played 4 matches in 5 days. The early return home will allow them to avoid injuries. And they can now take a well deserved rest especially Musa Mohamed who picked up an injury against Botswana.
Harambee stars early return also gives Bobby Williamson more time to work with all the players and gain familiarity with them before the league resumes. As part of gaining familiarity with the players, Williamson watched Gor Mahia beat Modern Coast 5-1 in a friendly match on Thursday.
Gor Mahia will take on Chemelil on Wednesday July 17 in what will be Williamsons first test. Chemelil moved the match to Nairobi in order to maximize gate collections.
Swaziland, Lesotho and Botswana ?…Omera even Kogallo alone can beat this teams on a good day (no disrespect)! harambee stars we still have a lot ! a lot of work to do.
@1,jakoyo…..i don’t necessarily agree with you!!!
I watched all matches that harambee stars played and saw some positives. I saw Owino was fatigued in the last match, but he tried the best he could. Amrouche should be given time to build the future team. This has to take time. Let us not judge with the COSAFA competion. I foresee the starting line up compring 90% Kogalo players.
Other than Lavatsa and the GK Jerry, the rest of the Gor players playing for Harambee do not deserve to wear the national colors as we have better talent at home. Kahata and Murunga also. Coach, I hope you noticed this
@ingo: i thnk murunga and kahata at least a semblance of intelligence. but lavatsa and kiongera have no intelligent football. i wonder how having seven or ten gor players in harambee stars helped kenya in this case. they lost to teams considered minows and that lesotho qualified shud tell us how lousy kenya and gor football standards are low. namibia simply showed us that they kud score any time they felt like. lesotho and namibia have shown they can trouble any big team. so much is said about ‘pinches’ but he just part of the lousy lot. the coach needs to drop these everyday call-ups and go for a fresh lot. most of thse harambee stars players are mediocre and need to be phased out of the kenya team. be warned that playing for stars will soon become an embarrasment for any serious footballer. linking up with ppl who simply cry for allowances without caring about the image of kenya soccer will soon take up it’s toll. serious players will start ignoring call-ups. for kenya to be called for a regional touranment then fail to qualify for the main part is really a wake up call. disband this team and go to the grassroots and let this be done by amorouch himself.otherwise admin continue counting how many gor players are in harambee stars and see how far it gets us. change the name to ‘the allowances stars’, at least on that department they are effective.
@ dinga what u are suggesting is not there in the world of foot ball and can not help the national team in any way. How can change of name improve performance of the team? Going to the grassroot alone will not help, You think they will win matches instantly? When the team lost it was not Gor players that lost. Just have patience and relax. Who are those your best players?
I see things differently, Kenya has no attacking midfielders of quality to read/change a game & i repeat K’galo beta look beyond our borders 4 these players, coach Adel’s influence was nowhere & there’s no Logarusic to blame anymore! My proposal 2 GM Is b4 next year can the versatile “King” David be converted to linkman he’s very attack minded “Janabi” style , Lavasta has showed he can shoot with both feet & should play either no.9/10 partnering with Kiongera,Dan at right wing and Rama at no.8
contd… in central defense we’ve enough cover in “Hulk” Emuge,Mosoti,Anguyo & even Musa. I hope B.W can come up with a system(Loga & Adel apparently couldn’t/can’t) that can enable GM lift the league by juggling the current squad,then bring in the required talent 4 regional/continental tourney nxt year.
COME ELECTIONS VOTE TEAM LEGENDS I.E OBWAKA,LULE,SIANGA ETC UPTO A MAX OF 5.
Shisha stars.
i personally congratulate our Harambee stars players for performing well even though they played so many matches within few days, in the last game we were fatigued. so let the team come back for the league
In football there are no minnows anymore and so I wonder why we are surprised that we didn’t beat Botswana. How come Nigeria struggled to beat us if we are that bad. Does that mean Nigeria is equally poor football-wise. We talk of talent missing yet a few years ago with literally school boys we were playing the best soccer in the country. Moreover we had a local coaches in Siang’a and later on Zico.
Now Ingwe has the best squad followed by Tusker but will the results flow their way? Will Ingwe be able to beat City stars once the stars get a sponsor? Or if we meet Ingwe will we beat them as usual or will they beat us because of the name? @Ingo we have read your comments but ot sure if it was in good faith or it was with a pinch of salt.
lets us HOPE THE TWO BOBBYS WILL TRANSFORM GOR
@ Dan you are right! I dont think the current team is what they are trying to put it.
@Dan Orig:Allowance Stars sounds more appropriate.
anyway, drawing nigeria or morocco shud not blind us that we are improving. yes we drew with nigeria but look at the level they trade in. kenyan sports journlist cannot even be invited for serious football conversations around africa. i am not saying that this will help but rather use it to draw a picture how lousy kenya football is rated. gor, afc, or tuskers can do all the juggling they want but when push comes to shove we know where kenya football will be placed. if one uses kenya drawing with nigeria as a yardstick then we are really lost. at the end of the day nigeria will play in the next world cup, next confederations cup and will be invited to far more competitive arenas. being number one in Sidindi Boys and being number one in Maranda. if these two are the same then i guess your right.
Then now help us Mr dinga OR NDINGA Whichever name u can yourself
H.Stars / Kenyan football does not have to be neccessarily equated with GM football as GM is allowed to recruit players regionally,continentally and even internationally but instead of serious footballers the “executive community” would rather impose the likes of Rodrigez,Naija afrosinema star Felix on K’galo. Its all about management or the lack of it.
LET’S VOTE IN TEAM LEGENDS I.E OBWAKA, LULE,SIANGA ETC COME NEXT ELECTIONS
@Erico Jarae: sad part is that ppl like you only be cynical about everythng. if kenya rugby 7s team came from being a wannabe team to a currently ranked team in the world it means that harambee stars can also make it. the tusk is to find out how. so direct your cynicism elshwhere. i can only suggest and i already did that. why don’t stick and critisize my suggestion… but again guys like you will always remain petty.. what’s my name got to do with anything?
i suppose now u’ll attack my grandmother!!!
As Dinga puts it in post no. 5 it doesnt matter how many Gor Mahia players are in the National team but what we want is strong and cohesive squad.
Selection is still a big headache to the coach. Let us start with goal keeping – tell me in your view if Duncan Ochieng’ is better than Boniface Oluoch or Martin Musalia. Secondly, why was Paul Were and Paul Mungai Kiongera benched when we needed them most? Anyway, that is spilt milk or rather wasted opportunity but the technical bench should look into selection process seriously. Where is Jesse Were? He should be one of the strikers. There is a ‘boy’ in Mathere United who is really a good winger, where is he? Can you say that Mohamed Musa is better than Musoti? Anyway let us be serious if we want positive results. Kahata’s capacity as a striker is wanting since he he slow; the guy is a good finisher but needs someone to bring him next to the 18 yard-box…
On a different note, AFC Leopards have been seeing their players as the best in Premier League who should be called to the National team. This can be true if you are an AFC fan but opposite if you are looking into the broader picture. Apart from Were and Wanga, who else will you pick from AFC?
Let us do this in future select players on merit but do not be intimidated by names or clubs and that will propel Kenya to the next level. I hope these COSAFA performance will not affect our FISA ranking.
@Alando Walter: Mosoti, as you have too noticed, is a very good player but to rough and emotional. if only the guy could tone down his game and stop using ‘kung fu’ while tackling that i would recommend such a player in any squad. but this guy would give away to many free kicks out side danger zones… and that was all namibia needed. mosoti shud try to emulate Owino defender who apart from Jerry GK remain the two most astounding Gor players. Akumu is also one player who has good mental capacity but his game is abit down of the late.
I wnt to state here and now tht the selection to the National Team has been good except for a few position. But I wnt to address my post on GM vs AFC Leopards squads. Jerry is better thn all the goal keepers currently plying their trades in KPL. Here is why!- His positioning, command of his area, distribution and temperament has really improved. He is better than all his competitors in one on one situations. He just needs to work on corners and crosses and he will be a solid and reliable keeper. More importantly Jerry is more of a class player thn a form player. Remember- form is temporary, class is permanent. Compare this to the howlers Matasi, and musalia keeps on subjecting AFC to week in week out.
Defence-
GM boasts the most reliable and versatile defensive partnership in KPL in 2013. In Anguyo, Emuge, Musoti, Owino, Musa GM have players tht combine finesse and power. I hope BW will revitalise Anguyo (best defender in 2012) and give David Otieno a chance to play regularly. He should be prepared to take over from the ageing Nasio. In answer AFC have Masika, Paco and Kimani. Head on -Incomparable as GM defenders looks more settled and have the rhythm n pulse of play. Abdala Juma and E. Wafula are the closest to the players GM hve in the fullback positions. D. Otieno, M. Mohmd, D. Owino are 3 central defenders who can still be called on to do fullback duties. In Wekesa and Nasio GM have the answers as they continue to knock on the National Team Call-up. Its in the midfield area where GM have talent in abundance and wins this battle hands down. Akumu, Omondi, Pablo, E. Ochieng, Dube, Gaucho, Rama, Wiper, Wanyonyi and Oboya will always prevail over AFC’s Opiyo, Okwemba, Were, imbalambala, Seda and Kadenge. Non of the teams’ strikers have been on fire this season. But in terms of performance Lavatsa, P. Odhiambo and Danny outscores AFC’s trio of Wanga, Khamati and Baraza.
Coaches
In Bobby Williamson and JBO, Gor Mahia have experienced coaches at the head as compared to Luc Emayel, Muyoti, Xavier and Busolo of AFC leopards.
I therefore have no fear in stating tht in a straight contest btwn the 2 teams Gor Mahia stands a good chance to triumph over AFC Leopards.
I have just watched Malawi .vc Zimbabwe match. am sorry to say this, harambee stars were indeed very lucky to beat any team in this tournament. I watched harambee matches and saw nothing. Actually we are still very far and that is a fact
@20 I agree with u totally that gor has the best in all departments. And thats why Adel decided to have 7 of K’ogalo players in his squad whenever Kenya played in the just concluded COSAFA Senior challenge.Those who think that we lost to Botswana bcos of gor players is just jelous.D owino played 4 matches in a5 days and thats why he was not at his best in that match.K’ogalo Forever!
Lets just start with Kiongera vs Jesse Were of breweries? Who is better?
Why not Kiongera vs Paul Were or Alan Wanga?
@ 24 Because we are talking Harambee Stars and not Gor Vs. AFC. The best player ought to wear the national jersey. By the way Were, Wanga and even Khamati are better playes than Kio