KCB axe veteran forward Ouma
Francis Ouma, who was among four experienced players axed last week by struggling Kenyan Premier League outfit KCB, citing poor performance. FILE PHOTO
What you need to know:
- New coach Shedu to recruit heavily during June transfer period
- Also shown the door at the struggling club are Odera, Muhando and Koko of Congo
Struggling Kenyan Premier League outfit KCB last week axed four of their experienced players, citing poor performance.
The quartet are KPL 2008 Most Valuable Player Francis Ouma, former Gor Mahia and Thika United striker Ezekiel Odera, Geoffrey Muhando and Congolese attacker Manopi Koko.
KCB coach Rishadi Shedu said he made the hard decision of offloading the players based on their performance. He said he wants to build a coherent squad ahead of the second leg. The mid-season transfer window opens on June 1.
The bankers, who have earned the dubious reputation of being pace setters in the league, have found the going tough this term.
“Yes, it’s true I have dropped the four players. We looked at the performance of the team and the weak links. I had to effect changes and unfortunately the four had to go,” the former Bandari coach said.
DISMAL RUN
“Our aim is to beef up the squad and we will be strengthening the defence and midfield once the transfer window opens.”
KCB have picked just one win from 12 matches, while drawing three and losing eight.
Scoring has been one of their major undoing with the attacking quintet of Ouma, Odera, Chrispinus Onyango, Paul Kiongera and Andrew Murunga scoring just 11 goals in 12 matches between them as the team conceded 20 from as many matches.
Their dismal run claimed their head coach Juma Abdallah who has since moved to giants AFC Leopards.
The sacking portends gloom to careers of Ouma and Odera, that had once showed a lot of promise.
LUCRATIVE DEAL
Shortly after winning the Golden Boot and the best player awards in 2008, Ouma sealed a lucrative deal with Tanzanian side Azam in 2009, but his stay there did not last long as he went to Europe for unsuccessful trials with Italian Serie A side Parma.
Ouma later made it to lower-league football in Portugal.
The goal poacher returned to Kenya at the end of the last decade and had stints with his old club Mathare United, Sony Sugar and former league champions Sofapaka before joining KCB this season.
It is the same script for Odera, who, after bagging the Young Player of the Year award in 2011, moved to Gor Mahia in 2012 in a much publicized move but failed to make an impact at K’Ogalo before returning to the bankers for a second stint. He would later move to Thika United, and he returned to his “KCB home” this term
