Too much noise over Omala snub, his Harambe Stars time will come

Kenyan football followers, and in particular the Gor Mahia fraternity, should stop getting hysterical about the exclusion of Benson Omala from the Harambee Stars final squad that played Iran in Tehran on Tuesday.

Omala, with an astounding league lead 19 goals from 20 matches, was, as expected, included in the provisional 30-strong Harambee Stars team that was named on March 15 for the international friendly.

However, Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat “surprisingly” left out the Football Kenya Federation Premier League leading scorer from his final 23-man squad named last Wednesday.

The 21-year-old has been in fine fettle this season, scoring at will, and superbly setting himself up to possibly becoming the highest league scorer in one season in the history of Kenyan football.

At the moment, he could as well be described as the Erling Haaland of the Kenyan Premiership.

Like the fighter he is, Omala has taken the rejection on the chin.

He posted on his Facebook page: “Want to thank my coach plus the technical bench for the call up to the national team. The call up itself was an achievement for me and that showed me that the coach believes I can help my country.

 “Unfortunately, I didn't make it to the final squad, yes its hurting but what I’ve learnt in camp for the few days I have been there will help me big time in future. I want to wish my teammates all the best as they prepare to play against Iran. We have a league to win and now gears shift. Thanks for the messages and support.”

Not so his admirers.

Many sympathetic commentators wondered aloud how Omala could be excluded from the squad considering his terrific form this season.

A pained Abie Wafula tweeted: “Why has Benson Omala been dropped off from the Harambee Stars squad. Someone care to explain?”

Okolowaka seemed to dive into conspiracies with his tweet: “Top scorer...and keep the ones you want to market abroad? When was the last time a top league striker averaged a goal per game like Benson Omala? ‘Super-Agent’ marketing his players is all we do! Who makes these decisions anyway?”

Former Gor Mahia great Allan Thigo, who captained Harambee Stars in the 1908s, weighed in:

“I’m upset by what the coach did to Omala and as a former footballer I will not shy away from speaking about it. It was wrong, unjustifiable and can’t happen in any country. Name for me a country where a local league top scorer has been dropped from the national tea.”

He went on to advice the young striker to reject future call-ups and, in fact, consider switching allegiance to another country. Wueh!

People. Relax. National team selection does not work that way, that is, picking players based on what pundits, supporters, hecklers, journalists, armchair commentators and just about anybody, thinks.

Selection is the prerogative of the coach based on his/her game plan and style of play vis-a-vis the quality he is looking for in a player unless you live in President Paul Biya’s Cameroon.

Picking a national squad can also be done by a selection committee which invariable includes the concerned coach. And it is not a public pleasing exercise.

Firat, after much hullabaloo from the Kenyan football fraternity, did explain that being a top scorer in the national league did not guarantee a player selection to the national team.

He further explained that the four strikers he opted for -- Elvis Rupia, Alfred Scriven, Michael Olunga and Masud Juma - had more experience than the prolific Gor Mahia striker.

I would like to add that being a top scorer in the Premier League does not translate to excelling internationally.

Kenyan football history is replete with league Golden Boot winners who were a disaster in the national team.

One that immediately comes to mind is lanky Jesse Were. He won the 2015 Golden Boot award with 18 goals for Tusker. Despite this enviable feat, Were, who had a successful professional career in Zambia, failed to score in a Harambee Stars jersey. Not a single goal. Nada.

Stephen Waruru was the KPL top scorer in 2011 with 12 goals for UIinzi Stars, Jacob Keli top scored in the 2013 season with 17 goals for KCB, while John Mark Makwata plundered 15 goals with Ulinzi to claim the 2016 league’s Golden Boot.

The combined international goals netted by these three top scorers do not exceed the number of digits found on one human hand.

The four strikers selected ahead of Omala should also be respected. Omala was just a teenager the other day and has time on his side.

As he awaits his next call-up, the former Kisumu Day High School student can get on with his other written objective of winning the Kenyan league title.

With 19 goals already, he is well on course to challenge the league’s all-time top individual score in one season of 26 attained by Gor Mahia legend Maurice “Sonyi” Ochieng in 1976 as K’Ogalo won the league unbeaten.

Now, that would make Omala’s selection case much, much stronger.

Of course, his inclusion would again depend on the plans of the coach, whoever that may be, public outcry notwithstanding.

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