Allan Wanga could play Hull City in February 2017

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

47 players drawn from SportPesa Premier League clubs have been selected to join a training camp in January 2017 as the country draws nearer to the first ever football match pitting an English Premier League side, Hull City and a Kenyan side.

The shortlist is not without some surprise names including 16 year old Joshua Otieno, who impressed the coaches when they visited Sony Sugar FC at their Awendo base.

Preparations for the game at the KCOM began earlier this month when two of the Tigers’ Academy coaches, Richard Naylor and Kris Blakeston, visited Kenya on a scouting mission to pick out the country’s top football talent.

Tasked with selecting 50 players to attend a special training camp, the English duo took in international fixtures against Mozambique and Liberia, league matches and training sessions at the country’s top clubs but selected only 47 because they wanted to give it to the players who deserved the opportunity and did not feel it was correct to give it to 3 players just to make up the numbers.

With shortlists and player recommendations now submitted, coaches will return to Kenya for the training camp early in the New Year to pick out the top 16 players who will go on to form the SportPesa All Stars squad that will travel to England to take on the Tigers in February.

Ronald Karauri, Chief Executive Officer for SportPesa, said: “SportPesa All Stars are the beginning of Kenya’s journey to qualification for the World Cup in 2022 and we look forward to the two matches they will play against Hull City.”

The friendly match at the KCOM Stadium in the United Kingdom next year is part of Hull City’s continued support of shirt sponsor SportPesa’s commitment to develop Kenyan football to global standards, and their efforts to help Kenya qualify for their first ever World Cup in 2022.

Tigers Commercial Manager Simon King added: “SportPesa All Stars project is truly unique. It fully demonstrates that our partnership with SportPesa goes way beyond a branding exercise and is something that is having a positive impact in developing Kenyan football.

“The first stage of the project has gone incredibly well and we now look forward to organising the training camp in January when our coaches will have the tough task of picking a squad to play at the KCOM Stadium in February.”

This comes at a time when the Tigers are also working closely with SportPesa on the ‘Kits For Kenya’ campaign, which calls on supporters to donate any football kit items to be sent out to Kenya to help enhance the prospects of young players in the country. Deposit boxes can be found in our Tiger Leisure stores at the KCOM Stadium and Prospect Shopping Centre until the end of December for any fans that wish to donate.

SportPesa Allstars

Goalkeepers (4)	Patrick Matasi	Posta Rangers
	Boniface Oluoch	Gor Mahia
	David Okello	Tusker
	Gabriel Andika	Western Stima
Defenders (11)	Robinson Kamura	Mathare Utd
	Lloyd Wahome	Tusker
	James Situma	Tusker
	Rogers Omondi	Ulinzi Allstars
	Wesley Onguso	Western Stima
	Charles Momanyi	KK Homeboyz
	Christopher Oruchum	Thika Utd
	Joackins Atudo	Posta Rangers
	Simon Mbugua	Posta Rangers
	Eric Ouma	Gor Mahia
	Haron Shakava	Gor Mahia
Midfield (14)
	Mieno Humphrey	Tusker
	Cersidy Okeyo	Tusker
	Osborn Monday	Tusker
	Haron Nyakha	AFC Leopards
	Michael Otieno	Ulinzi Allstars
	Apollo Otieno Onyango	Chemilil Sugar
	Edwin Clifford Omondi	Chemilil Sugar
	Dennis Monda -	Muhoroni Youth
	Joshua Otieno	Sony Sugar
	Ali Bai	KK Homeboyz
	Cavin Odongo	Posta Rangers
	David Kingatua	Bandari
	Amos Nondi	Gor Mahia
	Eston Esiye	Western Stima
Attackers (18)	Paul Kiongera	AFC Leopards
	Eric Johana	Mathare Utd
	Moses Odhiambo	Sofapaka
	Paul Odhiambo	Sofapaka
	Antony Ndolo	Tusker
	Allan Wanga	Tusker
	Cliff Kasuti	Ulinzi Allstars
	John Makwata	Ulinzi Allstars
	Hubert Kopany	Western Stima
	Brian Marita	Western Stima
	Erastus Mwaniki	Chemelil Sugar
	Victor Majid	Chemelil Sugar
	Samuel Ndungu	Muhoroni Youth
	Eugiene Mukangula	Thika Utd
	Georson Likono	Posta Rangers
	Geofrey Kataka	Posta Rangers
	Darius Msagha	Bandari
	Francis Kahata	Gor Mahia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Further details about the match against the SportPesa All Stars will be released in due course.