Job Maobe And Gilbert Wandera
6 March 2008
Nairobi — Harambee Stars defender Andrew Oyombe is keen on a professional move to Europe.
After playing locally for over five years, the 23-year-old Gor Mahia defender thinks it is time he went to Europe for greener pastures.
"I started playing football even before I learnt how to write my name properly. I now want a taste of the European football which everybody so desires," the defender who can also play in midfield said.
'My brother Nixon who is also my manager is responsible for the necessary arrangements to have me play in Europe, and all I can reveal for now is that it might be in France." he said.
The defender, who is a regular in the national team, says his dream of playing professional football was shattered last year when he lost his passport aboard a plane to South Africa.
"Kaizer Chiefs had called me for trials and when I lost my passport they could not sign me and went for a Canadian player instead," he said.
All this has not affected his playing career, he says. For the time being he will dedicate himself to playing for Gor Mahia.
"For now my full concentration is on the Premier League which we started on a low note," he said.
Oyombe started his football career at Ulinzi Stars where he won the Hedex Cup for with the club before moving to the now defunct Oserian Fastac, which won the Premiership that year.
He then had a short stint in Sweden before joining Tusker.
It is from Tusker that the burly defender joined Gor where he currently plays.
Meanwhile, former Mathare United defender Pascal Ochieng' has joined Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB).
Ochieng' played his first match for the bankers last weekend in a 1-0 win over Gor Mahia at City Stadium.
KCB coach Yusuf Chippo said the veteran defender had brought stability to their backline and they expect a good performance this season.
"He has brought some organisation in our backyard with his great command of matters at the back," said Chippo.
Seven years ago, Ochieng' controversially left Mathare United to join Ismailia of Egypt together with Simon Mulama and Isaiah Omondi.
Mathare protested the move saying it was done behind their back and lodged an appeal with world football governing body Fifa.
However, Ochieng' left the Egyptian club hardly six months later. He has also played for Yanga in Tanzania. Before joining KCB he had a short stint in Rwanda.
With players like Ochieng', KCB are poised to put up a great performance this season after struggling to stay in the top league.
Coach Chippo says they have learnt from last season and are taking every match seriously.
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