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The 50 boys who could take over Harambee Stars

Footballer during a game

They may be young and a little timid, but one thing is for certain, their talent and skill has won the admiration of many Kenyan Premier League (KPL) managers. And born just after 1991, nothing seems to stand in the way of their dreams of becoming the next big thing in Kenyan football.

Ezekiel Otuoma

Club: Muhoroni Youth Age: 20

Position: Striker/Offensive

Otuoma’s speed, guile and fluid ball-handling skills, have helped his side finish in the top 8, their best performance in the KPL ever. He is indeed a player on an upward trajectory.

Vyonne Issuza

Club: Mathare United Age: 20  

Position: Attacking midfielder

The former Green Commandos and Nairobi Stima midfielder is fast becoming a household. He combines technical finesse with the ability to dictate the pace of the game when he plays behind a striker.

Bakari Tatah Okutoyi

Club: Kolongolo  Age:18

 Position: Striker/Offensive

Although his performance was slowed down by injury, the youngster has stood in the Nationwide league. Tatah, as he’s popularly known, can become the next Dennis Oliech.

Chrispinus Odhiambo

Club: KCB Age: 20

Position: Offensive

The Ofafa Jericho alumnus is doubtlessly a  future star. Anyone who has watched him in action knows the teenager is something special. His maturity and ability to release quickly release balls is unmatched.

Boraafya Omar

Club: Bandari  Age:19

Position: Striker

The 2013 KPL U19 Golden Boot winner is confident and incredibly quick. He has the ability to score from different angles and give excellent passes. In him, Bandari has a future.

Massud Juma

Club: Bandari Age:18

Position: Striker

Juma has been compared to former Harambee Stars captain Dennis Oliech. Fast, composed and lethal on the counterattack. His powerful shot and good technique is proof he has a lot of potential.

Edwin Oduor

Club: Sony Sugar Age: 23

Position: Striker

Little known Oduor grabbed the headlines after scoring seven goals in the first leg of the just-concluded KPL season. He’s an imposing presence in the field and proved to be invaluable to Sony.

Innocent Wafula

Club: Chemelil Sugar Age: 19

Position: Offensive

Wafula has fantastic pace, great stamina, good dribbling skill, powerful shots besides being technically superb. He’s been described by Chemelil coach Mike Mururi as a game changer.

Samuel Onyango

Club: Sony Sugar Age: 22

Position: Offensive

The Komolo Rume Mixed Day Secondary School alumnus was discovered by the former Sony coach Francis Baraza. He has all the attributes of an accomplished winger and has a great future.

Valen Mahero

Club: Chemelil Sugar Age:21

Position: Offensive

Boasting balance, poise and an ability to drift through challenges, the former Nzoia United forward has become an impact player for the Mike Mururi side. He is a serious football revelation in waiting.

Andrew Mbugua

Club: Liberty Academy Age: 20

Position: Midfielder

The youngster was recently handed his maiden Harambee Stars call-up for the friendly against Morocco by head coach Bobby Williamson. He joined Liberty Academy at the age of 16 and has since improved tremendously.

Ali Sitati

Club: West Kenya Age: 20

Position: Offensive

His impressive display in the National Super League has attracted interest from top-tier teams, but West Sugar has reportedly turned down the offers. A chance in the KPL may be all he needs to shine.

Farouk Shikalo

Club: Tusker Age:19

Position: Goalkeeper

Tusker assistant coach Leonard Odipo says the graduate of FC Talanta is very good on one on ones situations, and will soon be like Duncan Ochieng’ Samuel Odhiambo and Boniface Oluoch.

Victor Ndinya

Club: Bandari Age: 20

Position: Offensive

He has been a critical player in Twahir Muhiddin’s Bandari squad. With great ball control, the skillful, swift winger has become a darling of the dockers’ fans. He featured in Kenya U20 national team during both legs of the African Youth Championship against Tanzania.

Dennis Gicheru

Club: Posta Rangers Age: 22

Position: Defender

The University of Nairobi law student has been superb. His ability to win aerial balls and technical mastery makes him a good future prospect.

Benard Odhiambo

Club: Nakuru Allstars Age: 20

Position: Defender

He is the new ‘Calabar’ and brother to Gor Mahia and Harambee Stars defensive maestro David Owino. Just like his elder brother, Odhiambo who previously featured for Kakamega Homeboyz, he is a no-nonsense defender. He has already caught the eye of bigger clubs, especially K’Ogalo.

Evans Mieno

Club: Gor Mahia U19 Age:18

Position: Midfielder

“He can literally make a decision as the ball comes to him, determine where to send the ball with his first touch,” mentor, Eugene Misbayi, a football administrator with Umeme FC. The right-footed midfielder, and younger brother to AFC Leopards’ Humphrey Mieno and a product of Nairobi’s Umeme FC isalready attracting the attention of KPL coaches with Tusker’s Francis kimanzi being one of his admirers.

John Mwangi

Club: ASEC Huruma Age:18

Position: Striker

The technically gifted striker is lethal in front of goal as evidenced by his goal scoring rate in the just concluded Nairobi Provincial League. With 16 goals out of 24 matches, the goal scoring machine is averaging 0.6 goals per match. Not many strikers in the KPL can achieve that.

Teddy Osok

Club: Gor Mahia U19 Age: 19

Position: Midfielder

Osok is a dynamic, imposing, defensive midfielder, who relishes the chance to make a tackle. The lad who guided Upper Hill Secondary School to finish as runners up in the East African Secondary Schools Sports Games in Uganda 2013, has been instrumental for Gor’s U19 side in the 2014 season.

Timothy Luda

Position: Thika United Age: 20

Position: Striker

He has been touted as the next Dennis Oliech. He’s quick, very quick with movement reminiscent of Oliech. He was impressive for Upper Hill Secondary School during the 2013 East African Secondary Schools Games in Uganda, attracting the interest of Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards and Thika United. He opted for the Thika side after featuring for AFC in the KPL U19 tournament.

 

Robinson Kamura

Club: Mathare United Age: 19

Position: Centre-Back

The young centre-half is regarded as one of the most promising players in Mathare United’s current squad.The dead ball specialist scored three goals for his side in the 2014 season.

Brian Birgen

Club: Ulinzi Stars Age: 21

Position: Left-Back

The son of Ulinzi Star’s Chairman Joe Birgen is a gifted left-back with deft touches. Technically strong and good on the ball, the 21-year-old can overlap and deliver dangerous crosses in the final third.

Ali Abdulla

Club: West Kenya Age: 20

Position: Right-Back

The predominantly right footed Wing-Back with ability to overlap along the line has pinpoint crossing abilities that makes him a real threat to defenders. His mastery of the game is like that of former Gor Mahia left-back Zedekiah Otieno, now the Sony Sugar coach.

Erastus Mwaniki

Club: Nakuru All Stars Age:20

Position: Midfielder

Since he broke into the midfield at Nakuru All Stars, he has generated a lot of interest. He is deft at dribbling and a perpetual prowler in front of goal with great shooting ability.

John Ndirangu

Club: Nakuru All Stars Age: 20

Position: Striker/Offensive

Ndirangu can easily aweave through defenders at great speed, with both feet. Bobby Williamson included him in the Harambee Stars 34-man squad for the friendly match against the Pharaohs in September. With All Stars having been relegated, it will not be hard for the youngster to remain in KPL.

 

Timonah Wanyonyi

Club: AFC Leopards Age: 21

Position: Offensive

Although he struggled to settle down in the den after his controversial move from Gor Mahia, Ingwe’s arch-rivals, the Aspire Academy product is a star in the making. The U20 star was among the 18-man Harambee Stars squad that recently lost to Morocco in a friendly match in Marrakesh. The fans in Kenya will get a chance to see how good he is in the near future.

Collins Oluoch

Club: ASEC Huruma Age:17

Position: Defender

Oluoch emulates Norway-based, former Mathare United and Kenyan international defender Wycliffe Juma, who also played under the tutelage of ASEC’s current coach Joseph Jagero. Apart from having a bigger physique, his composure with the ball showcases his maturity at such a young age.

Harrison Mwendwa

Club: Mathare United Age: 19

Position: Winger

The inventive dribbler is never afraid to run at defenders. Hopefully, he will follow in the footsteps of the Mulama siblings (Simon and Titus) who had great ball technique.  Mwendwa is already a regular at Mathare and earned a few call-ups for the National team, Harambee Stars.

Harun Shakava

Club: Gor Mahia Age: 22

Position: Defender

The former Kakamega Homeboyz defender is not unfazed by the challenges at his current club, Gor Mahia. His tactical awareness will gradually improve as he continues getting the necessary experience. He could just be the next Musa Otieno.

Amos Asembeka

Club: Sony sugar Age: 19

Position: Midfielder

Asembeka knows how to set up strikers for goals with his defence-splitting passes. The Kenya U20 midfielder has proven his pedigree at Sony, and the future seems to be bright for him.

Brian Yator

Club: Ligi Ndogo Age: 17

Position: Offensive

The Kenyan U20 lad had the most appearances (47) for Ligi Ndogo in the last campaign. His versatile ability to play on both flanks and ability to score makes him hard to mark. With nine goals to his name, he might be signed by a KPL team next season, especially now that Ligi Ndogo has been promoted to the National Super league.

Hillary Otieno

Club: Kariobangi Sharks Age:19

Position: Defender

The cultured left-footed defender is an esteemed player at Sharks. His goal-scoring ability and great vision in reading the game are some of his strongest attributes.

Duncan Otieno

Club: AFC Leopards SC Age: 18

Position: Attacking Midfielder/Striker

The former Chavakali High School student captained the Ingwe U19 during last year’s KPL U19 tournament. Otieno who can play both as a defensive midfielder was among those selected to join the senior team. His impressive performance in AFC’s 2-0 Gotv Shield victory over Ligi Ndogo won him admiration from fans.

Kennedy ‘Daddy’ Owino

Club: Nakuru All Stars Age: 19

Position: Offensive

‘Daddy’ is one of the most intelligent youngsters our football scene. Despite Nakuru All Stars being relegated, Owino’s impressive performance on his KPL debut didn’t go unnoticed as he was recently voted the 2014 KPL New Young Player of the Year. His dribbling skills has generated a lot of interest from various clubs, including Gor Mahia.

Larrick Omboko

Club: ASEC Huruma Age: 17

Position: Goalkeeper

The former St Joseph Mumias High School goalkeeper is a classic youth product from the Western region, the cradle of Kenyan football talent. His reflexes between the posts make up for his lack of aggressiveness, a quality that will definitely launch him into stardom.

Michael Olunga

Club: Thika United Age: 20

Position: Striker

The left-footed revelation was recently on trials at South-African top-tier side Super Sport United. And there is word he could switch to the South African league next season. His tactical discipline and powerful shots give him an edge over slow-thinking defenders.

Jackson Macharia

Club: Thika United

Age: 20

Position: Midfielder

Macharia is a full package - strong, with a turbo-charged engine football intelligence - which makes him a defender’s nightmare in the penalty area. He does the dirty work to ensure his team’s back is always covered.

Patilla Omotto

Club: Bandari FC Age: 22

Position: Midfielder

This 2013 KPL New Young Player of the Year nominee is a skillful and dynamic footballer. While playing time at Bandari has been elusive, Macharia is set to go places some day.

Titus Achesa

Club: Nakuru All Stars Age: 22

Position: Winger

The former Rush Kakamega forward who also played for Kakamega Youth Combined and AFC’s U19 side in 2010, has aggressiveness and a work ethic that is contagious, and good for his game.

Edward Seda

Club: AFC Leopards Age: 23

Position: Midfielder

He’s had a tough season having undergone a shoulder surgery. The player who was among Harambee Stars’ U23 best players during the COSAFA Cup last year in Zambia, may need more playing time to guarantee his improvement. But he’s very skillful and fast on the ball.

Robert Mboya

Club: Mathare United Age: 21

Position: Goalkeeper

Norway-based ‘Kenya 1’ Arnold Origi considers him his replacement upon retirement. His form with the ‘slum boys’ was so impressive,  Bobby Williamson invited him to earn his first cap with national side during the friendly against Morocco.

Festo Omukoto

Club: Tusker FC Age: 18

Position: Midfielder

Omukoto graduated from the Aspire Academy (Qatar) in June 2014 and immediately joined Tusker.

Tusker FC coach Francis Kimanzi says, “The boy’s strength, tackling ability and interpretation of opponents’ moves are what we were looking for. He’s definitely going to be one of the most exciting midfielders to watch.”

Jacob Onyango

Club: Nakumatt FC Age: 19

Position: Midfielder/Defender

he alumnus of Kakamega High School together with AFC’s Edward Ezekiel Seda, honed his skills at the JMJ Academy, as did Kenyan captain  and Southampton’s sensation, Victor Wanyama.  He can manipulate the ball and easily change tempo and direction of a game.

Ian Otieno

Club: Posta Rangers Age: 21

Position: Goalkeeper

The Posta Rangers shot-stopper featured in the COSAFA tournament held last year in South Africa where he helped the Kenya U20 in the finals that was won by South Africa. He played a vital role in the postmen’s KPL promotion and the Gotv Shield tournament, saving three spot kicks and scoring twice in their semifinal victory over West Kenya.

Meshack Karani

Club: Chemelil Sugar Age: 20

Position: Striker

The former Mathare United and St Antony Kitale forward is a revelation to behold. He exhibits an insatiable appetite for the ball, even when tightly marked. His exceptional passing and shooting skills are what defenders dread.

Cecidy Okeyo

Club: Nakuru All Stars Age: 21

Position: Midfielder

His confidence and ball control even when under pressure sets him apart from his peers. It remains to be seen if he’ll improve or diminish his talent as his club drops to play in the Nationwide League.

Timothy Otieno

Club: Gor Mahia Age: 18

Position: Winger/Striker

His style is similar to that of Boniface Ambani, former AFC, Simba and Tusker FC striker. “He is superb, but Kenya is yet to see his full potential. It is pretty evident that at just 18, he’s already knocking the doors of Gor’s first 11 and Harambee Stars,” says Gor’s goalkeeper trainer and ex Harambee Stars keeper, Mathews Ottamax.

Sammy Mejja

Club: Thika United Age: 19

Position: Left-Back

The left-back has had an impressive run in the KPL since joining Thika United in 2013 and winning the Young Player of the Year Award on his first season in KPL. Mejja has pace going forward and is quick in falling back to defend. Mejja is very useful in defending and attacking set pieces.

John Makwata

Club: Ulinzi Stars Age: 22

Position: Midfielder

Private John Makwata, as he’s known within the military circles, joined Ulinzi Stars officially as a soldier in June 2014. The midfield player has not had much time at the military squad, which has not helped a lot in improving his talent. However, given time, he will develop into a dependable player.

Ray Omondi

Club: Nairobi City Stars Age: 21

Position: Striker

With four goals to his credit in the just-concluded season, Ray Omondi needs a better team for him to improve and attain his potential. Following the relegation of the Kawangware-based outift, Tusker are considering a move on the lad who has an eye on the goal.

 

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