Spanish LaLiga trip is stuff of dreams for Kenyan young striker
Football
By
Robin Toskin
| Jun 15, 2017
If anyone had told a Kenyan Premier League player he would one day visit the Spanish LaLiga, leave alone play against a Spanish team, he would probably say it was wishful thinking.
However, in what could pass for the stuff of dreams, a select team of 18 players will visit the world's leading football league on July 17 through to July 25.
AFC Leopards rising star Vincent Oburu could not believe on learning of his selection to the provisional squad of 20 players.
"I have to pinch myself," said the 19-year-old highly rated striker.
"What? LaLiga? Spain?" the overwhelmed youngster said of the call up.
"It is a chance of a lifetime," said Harambee Stars coach Stanley Okumbi, who has been tasked with to lead the KPL All Star team to Spain.
Thanks to a blossoming partnership between KPL and LaLiga, the KPL All Star team will play two friendly matches with two teams from Spanish top league.
"This partnership couldn't have come at a better time for Kenyan football. We will forever be grateful to LaLiga because our players will definitely learn something from the best league in the world," Okumbi said.
"This is the reason we selected mostly young players with a few experienced ones. It is an opportunity for the youngsters to learn about speed and how to develop one's technical ability and tactical awareness."
"Hopefully, we coaches will also get an opportunity to watch the training sessions of such clubs as Real Madrid and Barcelona first hand," he said.
LaLiga President Javier Tebas Medrano was in Kenya on May 10 for a two-day visit the result of, which is a sojourn to the land of arguably the world's best league.
LaLiga will cater for the air tickets and full-board accommodation of the entire KPL All Star team to be led by coach Okumbi and assisted by John Kamau.
The visit of LaLiga will certainly be an eye opener for the Kenyan youngsters.
McDonald Mariga was Kenya's first ever player to play in the LaLiga when he turned out for Real Sociedad during the 2011/201 season while on loan from Inter Milan.
Recently, a Spain-born Kenyan Ismail Said Athuman Gonzalez has been unearthed and has since turned out for Harambee Stars. He now plays for Granada B team.
The Spanish league, which is ranked first in Europe with a coefficient 20.142 by the continent's football body Uefa, boasts 17 Champions League titles, with four consecutive titles won from 2013/14 season.
Spanish clubs have also won the most Uefa Cup and Europa League trophies (10) making it an obvious destination for any ambitious football league the world over.
KPL All Star provisional squad
Ovella Ochieng' (Kariobangi Sharks), Iregi Benson Maina (Thika United), Ogendo Victor Omondi (Nzoia Sugar), Oburu Vincent Ouma (AFC Leopards), Omwenga Timothy Bolton (Kariobangi Sharks), Shikhalo Faruk (Posta Rangers), Ojwang' Maurice Owino (Western Stima), Muchiri Boniface (Sony Sugar), Kigonya Mathias (Sofapaka), Kisiavuki Clinton Sambuli (Nakumatt), Omoto Patilah Omutiti (Kariobangi Sharks), Kamura Robinson Mwangi (AFC Leopards), Macharia Jackson Irungu (Tusker), Odhiambo Peter (Gor Mahia), Kizza Martin (Tusker), Onyango Samuel Ouma (Ulinzi Stars), Mbugua Simon Wanjiku (Posta Rangers), Musa Mohammed Mayeko (Gor Mahia), Wendo Ernest Kisia (Gor Mahia), Mieno Humphrey Ochieng' (Tusker)