Okumbi calls for long term plan for Talanta Hela teams

In Barcelona, Spain

Former Harambee Stars coach Stanley Okumbi has urged the Ministry of Sports to keep the Talanta Hela Under-19 teams together for the long term through quality training camps and competitive friendly matches. 

The statement follows Harambee Stars' 3-1 victory over Zimbabwe in the final of the Four Nations tournament in Malawi on Tuesday. 

Okumbi is currently in Spain with the Talanta Hela U-19 boys while Jackline Juma is managing the girls team at the Costa Daurada Cup tournament.

Speaking after a friendly match where the boys team lost 3-1 to Nastic Sports Academy at the Nastic Stadium in Taragona, Okumbi stressed the importance of keeping the players active as they will soon graduate to senior ranks. 

“If we can try to keep them together because most of them are not in school, then we will achieve a lot as far as football is concerned. We need to organize for competitive friendly matches, and top tournaments every month for two to three weeks. But if we let them go after this tournament, then we will be doing nothing. I have proposed this idea to the concerned persons, hope they will implement it, and this will help us grow the game,” said Okumbi who is also the National Super League (NSL) side Rainbow FC CEO. 

Both the boys and girls teams qualified for the semi-finals after a perfect record in the group stage where they topped their respective groups. 

“From the four matches that we have played since arriving in Spain on Sunday, the boys are really pushing themselves. After the tournament, we will work on building from behind and try to have more touches on the ball because that has been a challenge for them. 

"Most of the players have not been training because they are in school. I have been trying to encourage them to express themselves by playing football because they never know who is watching,” added Okumbi.

“My dream has always been to play in Spain and I am grateful to God that this dream has now become a reality. The weather here is quite different from home, but we are working on adapting to it. We have gained a lot of knowledge from our coach, who has been guiding us throughout. The teams in Spain are challenging, but we have proven to be even tougher after playing against them. Indeed, we have made history through Talanta Hela,” said midfielder Telena Ochieng.

"The journey has been great, and we hope to win the trophy and take it home. We will share with others what we have learned back home. The competition is much tougher here compared to how we play football back home," said Valencia Ochieng, form two student at Butere Girls in Busia County. 

On Wednesday evening, the boys and girls will face Berango FC and Antiguoko FC respectively in the semi-finals of the tournament at Futbol Salou in Barcelona.

The tournament comes to an end of Thursday but the teams will remain in Spain for a two weeks training camp.