Oliech goes AWOL again, but...

• A controversy-prone star, striker fails to report to camp for training but the technical bench pardons him ahead of Bissau game

Dennis Oliech did not report to the Harambee Stars training camp in Karen despite arriving home on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the Stars technical bench had vowed to drop him from the team that will face Guinea Bissau for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, but there was a sudden change of heart at the last minute.

Coach Twahir Muhiddin had no idea where Oliech was on Wednesday but said the AJ Auxerre striker was part of his plans for this weekend’s match.

“I don’t know where Oliech is. He arrived on Tuesday and called the team manager saying he was going to see a doctor. I am yet to see him,” Muhiddin said.

But the coach said Oliech’s failure to train with the team was “least of his concerns” because the striker was “fit having played for his club at the weekend”.

“He played (for AJ Auxerre) at the weekend. We were also with him for the friendly against Tanzania and so I have trust in him.”

Inter Milan’s MacDonald Mariga and Sweden-based midfielder Patrick Osiako trained with the squad on Wednesday.

An excited Mariga said: “We must win this game. We must come back with the three points and set the pace in this group,” Mariga said.

Five players John Baraza and Anthony Kimani of Sofapaka, Gor Mahia’s Kevin Omondi and George “BlackBerry” Odhiambo and David Otieno of Sony Sugar, were the addition to the squad that competed in Kenya’s failed 2010 qualification campaign.

Muhiddin stayed with the tried and tested mix that was used by his predecessors, first Francis Kimanzi then Antoine Hey for another shot at making the African finals.

Nagging foot injury

Inter Milan’s Macdonald Mariga and Oliech lead a hungry team that last appeared at the Nations Cup in 2004.

Almost the entire defence line of Anthony Kimani, Lloyd Wahome and Edgar Ochieng’ that was unceremoniously discarded by German coach Hey in his catastrophic four-month reign last year have been reinstated.

Muhiddin also brought back Moss FK goalkeeper Arnold Origi who was out of competitive football for most of last season with a nagging foot injury.

The former Kenya number one keeper showed flashes of his agile self in training yesterday and looks likely to regain his top peaking position with Sofapaka’s Wilson Oburu deputizing.

However, given the cold shoulder were the attack-minded Patrick Oboya and rugged defender George Owino, incidentally the only left footed players in the squad.

“Oboya is a vital member of the squad. But he missed a major part of pre-season training searching for a club. “He is not match fit and we decided to leave him out,” Muhiddin said. “Owino went for trials in Asia. We had he was to return on August 28 but I have not heard from him. It is too late to get him into the team.”