Eric Odanga
30 April 2008
Nairobi — The Kenya Hockey Union league will end on August 17, according to the second leg fixtures that were released Tuesday.
Four matches will be played at City Park Stadium Thursday. Sliders return to the fray to face trouble-hit league leaders Blue Eaglets while Park Road play Strathmore University.
Blue Eaglets gave away five easy points to last year's champions Telkom Wireless after they failed to raise a team last Saturday. Blue Eaglets management said they had been given a short time to prepare after the national team returned from Azerbaijan.
However, reports indicate that up to eight players could leave Blue Eaglets for other teams. By Sunday, three players - Glennis Namasake, Pristine Njeri and Doreen Baraza - had asked for a transfer to Telkom Wireless. Also, Maryanne Nyambura of United States International University wants to move to the league champions.
Already, former Blue Eaglets player Catherine Kimeu has switched to Telkom Wireless, who are vigorously recruiting new players. New faces at Telkom Wireless are June Cherono, Sophia Wanyonyi, Jackline Wangechi, Mercy Omolo, Margaret Rotich, Beatrice Ruto, Diana Sitati and Prisca Ndakalu. Last weekend, top clubs petitioned the KHU to ensure a smooth run in the second leg. Officials from Wazalendo, Park Road and Green Sharks alleged that the fixtures were a mess.
Some clubs have sent an open letter to the KHU asking for the revamping of the league. "How can we have a league that is so disjointed, disorganised and unplanned? How can clubs seek support when they can't even tell potential sponsors when the next match is, when the season ends or when it begins?" the letter read in part.
"We feel that to develop hockey in Kenya, we need a higher level of seriousness than what KHU is showing us so far," the letter.
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