Kenya/Angola: We Can Still Make It, Says Skipper Oliech

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

Michelle Katami

25 June 2011

Harambee Stars captain convinced all is not lost in the fight to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations despite loss to Angola in Luanda

Harambee Stars captain Dennis Oliech says Kenya can still qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations despite the 1-0 loss to Angola early this month. “I have done the calculations we still have a chance, I know as a player we can qualify, if we didn’t have the chance I would tell you so. We just have to go and prepare ourselves very well, for those of us going back to their clubs, we need to train and focus,” Oliech said in an exclusive interview with Radio Jambo.

In the next two months Kenya have a crucial game against Guinea Bissau which the captain says is a do or die game. “We have to win the other game against Uganda, we don’t have to look on the other side of the team, we just have to take the six points in the maximum from the two games and we will be OK.”

Oliech who was speaking at the Nairobi City stadium after watching the Mathare United vs Bandari game said it is time for Kenya to focus on the future and not the past like Harambee Stars being denied a goal in Angola.

Asked whether poor officiating is killing football in Africa, he said: “From my experience, I will say yes and even bribery happens. There are some countries that have money to bribe the referee and his officials but for us as footballers we have to play and work for the results. (In Angola) It we scored a clear goal but the last man with the final decision is the referee so we had to agree with the decision to award it. We must stay focused hoping next time there will be no mistake. We don’t have to dwell on the past. Let us focus on the next game.”

The captain has been attending Kenyan Premier League games since he returned for a holiday from his French Ligue 1 club AJ Auxerre based in Burgundy and says the standards have improved tremendously.

“At least I’m seeing football, it was not like this a long time ago. Then it was just poop, poop. They were just kicking the ball upfield. Now at least we can see six or seven passes from big teams like Sofapaka, Mathare and Gor Mahia.”

The Auxerre striker says an improved league means better chances for Kenyan players to play in Europe or in neighbouring countries.

“The players will be called for one or two internationals and they will show their skills and maybe we will have some people coming to watch them even from Europe. In future maybe they can get a big club. So they have to keep up with the spirit and with the game, they have to be focused. Everything is possible,” Oliech said.

He is much impressed by the progress KPL has made in terms of organisation and security. He however challenged the stadium management to upgrade the stadiums including ensuring better facilities like toilets. He also challenged the fans to also come to the stadiums.

“KPL are doing a good job and it is now up to the supporters to come fully to the stadium. It is not expensive. The games are on Saturday or in the course of the week on Wednesdays and Thursdays, so you have the time to come and see matches under floodlights. This is something that has been missing for a long time in Kenya,” he said.

As the league gets better organised Kenyan football lovers are also waiting for the national football elections.

Oliech said the elections give voting delegates the chance to elect someone who will bring change to Kenyan football. He said the voting date is not important what is will be the people to be voted in.

“I normally read in the newspapers what people are saying, it is like politics, so only the voters have to focus and know who they vote for, this is a good example. When they set the date the voters will know who they will vote for.

For me it should be people who will change football in this country because they understand what has been happening. The problems in football – poorly organised friendlies outside the Fifa calendar, players not paid allowances, accommodation etc. the same problems every day. So voters should know who they are voting for.”

He cautioned delegates from taking bribes which will compromise their voting power.

“Don’t take 10,000 Kenya shillings and vote in just anyone. If they take the bribe and vote in wrong people they will never see the federation guys for one year. And 10k will not do you any good, so please go and vote for people who want to change football, who will bring in the best structure for Kenyan football and you will see what will happen to Kenyan football in the next one year.”

On Mugabe’s possible move to Celtic and, or, Aston Villa, the Harambee Stars captain was elated saying this is a big step for Kenya. He said the country needs many players in the big European leagues “So that we Kenya can be competing with the likes of Cameroon and Ivory Coast. Celtic are a big club. They play in the (European) Champions League every year, so this is a big step for Mugabe and is even a good example for young upcoming players. It shows them nothing is impossible. We can go play in Europe, be in the big clubs. We are missing players in England, Spain and Holland, I know we will get some players in the next one or two years. We just need to focus, put our federation in order and in the next one or two years we will have many players in Europe and at big clubs,” said Oliech.

However, he has advice for upcoming players aspiring to play in Europe or England. “They should to focus on the local league and give it their best shot. You can dream high but you have to take the first step, they have to focus on the local league, train hard, be disciplined and everything will come good even I started at Dagoretti Santos. Upcoming players must be in the youth programmes like under 16s and 17s and their time will come like mine did. So they should just train, focus and love football. The time come because football is a passion. And football pays well.”

Oliech also took time to reflect on Auxerre’s season which had mixed results and at some point were facing relegation. He blamed the poor performances on back to back fixtures.

“We had too many games, we had the Champions’ League, league games, cup games so in one week we were playing three games. We got tired. We went like this for 8 months. We did not have many players and fatigue was setting in. and we had many injuries like seven of our first 11 players.”

In December he noted the team was without it’s key players who were out on injuries forcing the club to bring in young stars. “We came to catch up at the end of the season in April/May. We had to regain our footstep and got our junior players to come and help us. We did good work, we won the last 4 games and finished the league ninth. People thought we were going to be relegated but they were shocked we finished ninth. We missed chances to finish in the top six places which guaranteed European league play.”

Is there a possible transfer for him next season? He said nothing has come out yet since at the moment football managers are on holiday. “For the next two weeks everything will be moving. Now when you check on the internet nothing is happening in Europe or Asia. We have a new coach, new president so when we start the league we want to start with half of the players. In the next 2 or 3 weeks we will be losing some players so if anything comes up I will let you know.”

And focusing on today’s LG cup, Oliech explained why he made a decision to play after having ruled himself out.”Like a captain I have to take responsibility for the team, to show the boys. So I decided why not, as a player it is not good to come to the stadium to watch your teammates playing while you are on the bench. I had to make the time to see whether I will play or not and I had good time to recover from fatigue and now I can play.”

He notes that this is an important game for Kenya to bring out the winning style for our country. “This is our chance to win this game, to bring back our supporters. Even me it is my chance to come on the scoring sheet, I think it is a good game for me to play. We have to do our best, for me I have to score two goals and win the game so that we bring back our Harambee Stars shining back to Kenya.”

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