Backpass: As long as mothers have sons, strikers and goalies will come from Nyanza

When K’Ogalo’s Michael Olunga scored four goals against Chemelil last weekend, my friend Abirry Wuoche Gweno was not very excited about it. He said there was no cause for celebration because as far as he was concerned, Olunga’s destiny was set long ago by the gods of Lake Victoria.

Prodded further, Abirry took me and my other friend Amuko, a die-hard Ingwe fan, through memory lane. He actually said his brothers from Western Kenya are proud owners of two positions in Harambee Stars. The positions are goalkeeper’s No 1 and striker’s No 9. According to him, others are ‘pretenders to the throne.’

True to his words, he crafted a quick list of goalkeepers just before independence to date. His list had Okoth ‘Paka,’ at independence, followed by the legendary James Siang’a who stood between the posts for around 13 years. Siang’a gave the baton to Mahmoud Abbas who gave it back to Dan Odhiambo, then David ‘Kamoga’ Ochieng’ and Tairus Omondi, although the latter did not feature prominently after call up.

The duo did their bit and left it briefly to Charles Omondi ‘Korea.’ The baton moved to Victor Onyango, followed by Mathews ‘Ottamax’ Owino, who went to the army barracks to fish out soldier boy Francis Onyiso.

The late coach Reinhard Fabisch did wonders with Harambee Stars with Onyiso in goal.

When Onyiso’s time was up, in came Willis Ochieng, who held fort shortly before beckoning his namesake Duncan Ochieng. Jerry Onyango was waiting on the bench and when ‘Dunco’ took the last Cecafa with the national team and went into semi-retirement, Jerry was ready with Wycliffe Odhiambo Kasaya on the bench. (Origi?)

Before Kenyans could say ‘Kwani iko nini?’ a new sensation was fresh from Nyalgunga in the name of Boniface Oluoch. Numbers do not lie, do they? Abirry posed, before drawing another long list of strikers or, No 9s, who have at one time or another caused waves during their stint at Harambee Stars.

Just around independence in 1963, our great striker was the late Joab Omino, former MP for Kisumu Town and later KFF (Kenya Football Federation) Chairman. He was then a student at Makerere University. He would be brought in to play and travel back to Uganda by train to continue with his studies.

Next in line was one William ‘Chege’ Ouma, who was, many times, believed to be the most intelligent striker ever to play for Harambee Stars. Ouma was the best example of a defender’s nightmare per excellence by nothing but sheer wit and trickery. His retirement gave way to Charles ‘Charlie’ Ochieng (a close relative to Divock Origi) who shared the slot with Maurice ‘Sonyi’ Ochieng.

He did not hold the position for long, before handing over to fellow homeboy, Peter Dawo. Of course, in between, Harambee Stars had the great JJ Masiga, from ‘Ingoland,’ who was succeeded by Dawo at No 9.

Mike Okoth snatched the position from Dawo and when he retired, Dennis Oliech occupied the position for quite some time until Kenyans assumed they would never get a replacement. They forgot what Peter Anyumba once said in 1973, that, “As long as mothers in Nyanza still give birth to sons, Kenya shall never lack strikers.”

And so, when people thought ‘Denno’ was now tired, voila! enters Michael Olunga another home boy. Abirry’s list was actually complete and he asked me if he could continue with yet another position.

 What is the hidden pedigree in the two positions in the national team being dominated by players from the same region?

Contacted by this writer, James Siang’a did not have clear answers but explained that he was himself inspired by Okoth ‘Paka’ who was very courageous and brave. Therefore, he noted, it was basically a question of inspiration, and the moment many goalkeepers turned up ‘from the lake,’ the trade was passed down from generation to generation. The same case with strikers. It’s just like our athletes come from the same region in the Rift Valley.

In the meantime, who will take over from goalie Boniface Oluoch, any idea?