Intercontinental Cup 2018: Kenya slated to name depleted squad

30th May’18, Mumbai: India will be anticipating a relatively weakened Kenyan squad as the Intercontinental Cup approaches. New Zealand and Chinese Taipei are the other two nations in this 4-nation extravaganza, which kickstarts on 1st June 2018. While New Zealand and Chinese Taipei have declared their contingent that would be travelling to India, the “Harambee Stars,” as Kenyan Football team is popularly known, are yet to release their final squad. A major reason behind this may be an ongoing feud between the Kenyan Premier League clubs and the Football Kenyan Federation (FKF) regarding the release of at least 8 key players ahead of their important domestic calendar.

While the Intercontinental Cup is scheduled to start on 1st June, the Kenyan Super Cup is set to roll from June 3rd, followed by the Shield. This must have prompted Gor Mahia, the defending Kenyan Premier League and Super Cup champions, to take a call on several of their first team members who are currently with the Kenyan national team after two friendlies with Swaziland and Equatorial Guinea.

Gor Mahia has reportedly called back six of their main team players which include goalkeeper Boniface Oluoch, Francis Kahata, Philemon Otieno, Joash Onyango, Haron Shakava, and Humphrey Mieno. All of these were part of the national team during the two friendlies, which were meant as preparation ahead of the India tour. AFC Leopards SC, a fierce rival of Gor Mahia has also only allowed 2 of its players, namely defender Micheal Kibwage, and midfielder Duncan Otieno to continue in the Harambee Stars squad. However, they did call back Marvin Omondi, Whyvonne Isuza, Jafari Owiti and Denis Sikhayi, some of whom were the part of the reserve squad.

With the Harambee Stars’ inspirational captain Victor Wanyama, the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, already out of contention for the Intercontinental cup because of a knee injury, this news is sure to jeopardize Indian fan’s hope of clashing against a full strength Kenyan team, which ranks 111 in the latest FIFA rankings.

Adding to the misery, uncertainty looms large over the participation of another Kenyan superstar Micheal Olunga, a Girona FC player who didn’t feature in the friendlies prior to the India tour. However, Sebastian Migne, the newly appointed Kenya National team’s gaffer, went on the record saying that he might join the squad in India for the Intercontinental Cup later on. Earlier, Cape Town striker Masoud Juma had also confirmed that he won’t be honoring the national team call-up citing personal reasons which forced Kenya to continue with a depleted attack line.

Incidentally, the Kenyan team was called upon by AIFF after South Africa National Team pulled out of the Intercontinental Cup. The recent developments come as a huge surprise to all of the Indian fans were expecting a full squad Kenyan team, which ranks below the Blue Tigers. AIFF should have been a little more careful of the domestic calendar of the teams invited, who were to take part in the 4-nation tournament. All this comes in the aftermath of the declaration of the final squad by the New Zealand Football Association, who decided against sending their top-flight international players such as Winston Reid, Chris Woods to name among the others.

AIFF had a contract with the FKF, by which Kenya is obliged to send their national team for the Intercontinental Cup. However, Nick Mwendwa, the FKF president went on to state that the decision of whether to release their players for national duty or not finally rests upon the clubs. Chinese Taipei is the only country that has announced a strong contingent for the tournament.

The Harambee Stars are slated to release their final squad later today. It needs to be seen whether this Intercontinental Cup gets another weakened team or not, which will certainly be a turn off for the fan. The prime focus should be on the long-term development of the Indian National team, which needs quality oppositions ahead of 2019 AFC Asian Cup.