TRIMMING BEGINS: SportsPesa AllStars team takes shape as 12 released ahead of Hull City trip

SPORTPESA ALLSTARS TEAM DURING A TRAINING SESSION AT KASARANI Sportpesa AlllStars players during a training session at Kasarani on Wednesday 18/01/17 a head of their friendly match in February.PHOTO:BONIFACE OKENDO

Twelve players have been axed from the SportPesa AllStars training camp.

After six days of rigorous training under visiting Hull City coaches at Kasarani Stadium, the number was whittled down from the initial 47, who started camp on Monday.

The SportPesa Premier League team will be trimmed further, leaving a final team of 18 players who will travel to the United Kingdom for a historic friendly match with English Premier League team Hull City scheduled for February 27. The final team is set to be announced next Saturday in Nairobi.

Terry Boyle, a professional development phase coach at Hull City and Dean Windass, a Hull City legend who scored 77 goals for the club, were in charge of the first week of training and the selection.

Joining the remaining players in the second week of training will be their colleagues Daniel O’Keefe and Richard O’Donnell.

“I have enjoyed what we have been doing together and I believe from here it will not be the last time for players who have been dropped,” said team manager Neville Pudo.

Stanley Okumbi, national team coach who joined the camp on Friday will reinforce coaching of the Kenyan side.

Addressing the players during the team selection on Saturday, Windass, who had never visited Kenya before this project, said he was pleasantly surprised by the level of talent and skill exhibited by local players during the training sessions.

His colleague Boyle said: “The selection process was based on what we have seen over the week and in November when I was here before,” adding that the culling process was difficult due to the friendships and bonds created during the week between the players and the coaches. SportPesa’s CEO Ronald Karauri has thanked the players for taking part in the AllStars project assuring them that they will get more chances to exhibit and polish their skills through the company’s various football development initiatives with its EPL partners.

“The training was good both for those who made it to the list and those who didn’t. Even as they leave the camp, as a player I can tell you they have left with a lot of knowledge,” said Muhoroni player Sammy Ndung’u.

“I’m feeling very happy because it was not easy. The week was tough,” said Robinson Kamura from Muhoroni.

He added that the coaches really pushed them, as they saw something in the players.

“They were not expecting us to be that good,” said Kamura.