Harambee Stars striker Dennis Oliech will not play against Malawi in a World Cup qualifier after Coach Adel Amrouche dropped him from the squad.
In an exclusive interview with Supersport.com’s Collins Okinyo,Oliech who is the currently the longest serving player has sought to explain the circumstances that have led to the disagreement between him and the national team coach.
Supersport.com: Harambee Stars travelled to Malawi and you are conspicuously absent, what is happening?
Oliech: I am surprised by the actions of the coach but I feel this issue has now become personal rather than professional. However I am committed to Harambee Stars and this will not make me quit the team.
Supersport.com: You have also been stripped off the captain’s armband, what is your reaction and feeling to this?
Oliech: I am not surprised because I saw this coming. To be sincere I do not mind not being the captain of Harambee Stars as there are no incentives that come with this role. I gave 100 percent as captain and I wonder why the coach could not be professional enough to personally inform me of the changes instead of talking to the media first.
Supersport.com: There are reports that you took two players; Jamal Mohammed and Patrick Osiako to Blankets and Wines yet you knew they had a crucial game against Nigeria?
Oliech: I am surprised by this sentiments because I was not in camp and when I went to Blankets and Wine I met the players and I could not assume them. Jamal and Osiako are adults and when they decide to do anything who am I to stop them? If the coach feels Jamal is not playing well then he should put him out and explain to him instead of blaming me.
Superport.com: Coach Adel Amrouche has accused you for failing to report to camp yet you were in the country after the federation had secured permission from your club?
Oliech: I was in the country but I did not go to camp because I did not wish to interrupt training since I was not going to play against Nigeria. I wanted the players to know that Dennis Oliech will not play against Nigeria so that would give them a chance to prepare effectively without me.
Supersport.com: Did you at any time seek to explain to the coach why you were not be in camp?
Oliech: On Tuesday before the game I joined the rest of the team where we presented food to the Mama Ngina Children’s home but I could see the coach was avoiding me. On the match day I went early to camp and requested to see the coach in person and I went to his room.
At that point I gave him an apology and stressed the importance of working together and he accepted and asked the kit manager to give me a jersey so that I could accompany the team to the stadium. Things went well and when we got to the dressing room as I was advising the players he told me to only motivate them but that I should not talk anything tactical and this really surprised me as I have played Nigeria several times.
After the match I went with the team to camp and everyone was released to go home.
Supersport.com: Why did you fail to report to camp on Thursday as asked by the coach?
Oliech: On Thursday after the Nigeria game I called Bruce in the camp and asked him what time the players were meeting but he surprised me when he asked me to call the coach since he was not sure if I was supposed to train.
On asking him to give me the Amrouche’s number he declined saying that the coach had said that I should not be given his number. When I came to camp I found the players and technical bench were unfriendly towards me only for assistant coach Nandwa to tell me that Amrouche had instructed the players and members of the technical not to speak to me which really surprised me.
On the same day I asked to be massaged and after that I was notified that coach Amrouche was annoyed with Bruce for attending to me and he asked him not to interact with me at all and that to me that was the final stroke.
Supersport.com: Do you feel there is lack of communication between you and coach Adel Amrouche?
Oliech:Personally I don’t have a problem with coach Amrouche but I feel he has a fixed opinion of me and he is not ready to talk to me. I have given 100 percent to Kenya for many years and I don’t think I have a problem when it comes to performance but it is wrong for the coach to incite other players and the technical bench against me for reasons I don’t know.
Supersport.com: You have in several occasions been accused of being a party animal and reporting to camp late what’s our take on that?
Oliech: I know I have my own flaws as a human being and when I am wrong I accept gladly but it is wrong to always assume that Dennis Oliech is up to no good .Yes I have gone for partying at times but that has not hindered my performance for Harambee Stars so it is wrong to judge me on that particular issue.
Supersport.com: So does it mean coach Amrouche has other personal issues against you?
Oliech: Of late Amrouche has not been treating me well since the time we were handed Kshs1 million by Senator Mike Mbuvi. I was handed the money and since it was late I went with it home but the next day I started distributing the money to players after calculations but midway I received a call to go to the hospital to see my mother’s doctor. At that point I took the money and gave to my personal assistant Kinywa to take to coach Amrouche who was not happy why the boy took the money to him that is when the animosity started.
Supersport.com: Having been dropped from the national team are you going to stay put or quit in protest?
Oliech: I can never quit the Harambee Stars and I can tell you the national team is bigger than Dennis Oliech. When called upon I will definitely be available to do duty for my beloved country Kenya like I have always done since I joined the team.
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