Hull City to field strong team against Gor Mahia

[From left] Hull City First Team coach, Tony Pennock, Club Ambassador and legend Dean Windass and Partnerships Executive, Andrew Stead, inspect the playing surface at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on May 9, 2018. The Tigers will play SportPesa Premier League winners, Gor Mahia FC at the venue on Sunday, May 13, 2018. PHOTO/Courtesy/Standard

English Championship side Hull City will field a strong squad against SportPesa Premier League champions Gor Mahia in tomorrow’s (3pm) highly anticipated friendly match, at the newly refurbished Kasarani Stadium.

Tigers head coach Nigel Adkins named 15 first team players in his 18-man squad that was due to touch down at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport last night ahead of the SportPesa sponsored pre-season tour.

Former Manchester United attacking duo of Fraizer Campbell and Will Keane will lead the English side alongside Scottish goalkeeper David Marshall, former Liverpool defender Kevin Stewart, England forward Jarrod Bowen, Mali international Nouha Dicko and Barcelona/Arsenal Academies graduate Jon Toral.

However, the former English Premier League outfit will have to do without the services of several of their key players including Kamil Grosicki (Poland), Sebastian Larsson (Sweden), Jackson Irvine (Australia) whom they have released to join their national teams in preparation for the 2018 Russia World Cup.

But going by the confirmed travelling party, the Tigers, who failed to get promoted back to next season’s EPL after finishing 18th in the recently concluded Championship, are not taking any chance as they prepare for the Kasarani encounter.  

“We are going to use our first team players with three from the development team on the bench. We realise that this is a very important match not only to us but for Gor Mahia too. We must give a good account of ourselves against them. It is going to be exciting,” Hull City’s Head of Medicine and Performance Rob Price told The Standard Sports on the sidelines of yesterday’s press briefing in Nairobi.

“The travelling party is mostly composed of internationals that is the basis of our team. Of course the main man is Jarrod (Bowen), but Fraizer (Campbell) is also on the trip. So, hopefully, we will be okay.

“There are a few international players missing, preparing for the World Cup with their respective national teams, but I believe we are still strong.”

Though Andrew Stead, Partnership Executive, is looking forward to an interesting game, he is aware of the noisy Gor Mahia fans’ ability to intimidate players.

“We have seen Gor Mahia’s videos. It is a very good team and it is going to be difficult match for our players,” Stead said.

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