Wednesday has been weakened by suspension to striker Dennis Oliech and goalkeeper Arnold Origi, injuries to midfielders McDonald Mariga and David Gateri, and forward Ayub Timbe’s snub.
Oliech, fondly described as “a leader, top scorer, most experienced player and a man you can rely on to net in crucial games,” is suspended for the contest with the African champions after bagging two yellow cards in previous games in the World Cup race.
Oliech plays for AC Ajaccio in the French Ligue 1 and was instrumental to his team’s 1-1 draw with the
Super Eagles in Calabar on March 23. He scored 21 goals for his French club this season, and has 34 caps for the Harambee Stars.
Since he made his international debut in 2002, Kenya have won only one match in which Dennis Oliech did not feature! So important is Oliech to the Kenyan team that he is officially in camp as a motivational force.
South Africa-based Gateri got injured so close to the match and Belgium-based Ayub Timbe has declined invitation once again.
Coach Adel Amrouche said: “Oliech is here to motivate the boys and he is important to the team even if he does not play. As for Timbe, we are disappointed because it is every player’s dream to represent their
country. It is unpatriotic for Timbe to refuse to come, just as he did when we played Nigeria in Calabar.”
Origi, Kenya’s number one choice between the sticks for several years now, earned a second yellow card of the campaign for time-wasting against the Eagles in Calabar two months ago. He plays for Norwegian top side, Lillestrom. Mariga plays for AC Parma in the Italian Serie A.
In the event, Amrouche is likely to hand the captain’s band to Scotland-based Victor Mugubi Wanyama, who has had a marvelous season with Celtic FC.
Wanyama won the Scottish League and Cup double with the Glasgow club and helped them to the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League, while also winning the Players’ Player and Young Player of the Year awards.
“He is a good example for professionalism. I believe so much in him and he is a player African youth can emulate,” Amrouche said of Wanyama.
Source: The Nation
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