Weep not Benson Omala, just show coach Firat what he is missing

That infamous kickout by David Beckham aimed at Diego Simeone is one of the most enduring images from the 1998 Fifa World Cup. That incident – how much it defined that year’s tournament and the retribution that Becks suffered as a result – is a story that has since been told and retold.

Now it is even part of the riveting script in Netflix’s newly released documentary titled Beckham.  

What many fans may not recall, though, is that long before that incident, Beckham was already having a nightmare of a World Cup. Arising from his growing off-the-pitch celebrity status, Beckham had been dropped from the team’s starting 11 by Glenn Hoddle, England’s manager at the time.

Apparently, Hoddle was of the view that Becks was not focused on the tournament. Beckham actually started on the bench during England’s first two group games against Tunisia and Romania before sneaking into the team and scoring against Colombia in a do-or-die final group fixture which England won 2-0.

Hoddle’s decision to drop Beckham generated a big debate among English fans. To a majority of them, it was incomprehensible how Becks, who was the country’s brightest star at the time, was not getting any playtime. Even the then British Prime Minister Tony Blair got himself sucked into the debate, although he made it clear that whichever players got to play for England was entirely Hoddle’s decision.

And just when Beckham appeared to have been reinstated into the squad, the conniving Diego Simeone pulled a fast one on him. England was soon on the next flight home.

Of course, you don’t compare oranges with bananas, as one colleague of mine likes saying, but this whole issue of national team selection, or non-selection, is an all too familiar debate in football, even at the lowest level of the game.

I went to Aquinas High School in the 90s when the school was a powerhouse in football and basketball. I was never good enough in either sport, but I can recall how much of a big deal it was back then just to be drafted into the school team. While competition was cutthroat, there was always that odd joyrider in the team; that chap who clearly wasn’t good enough but still had his permanent spot in the squad at the expense of a better player.

Now, make no mistake. I’m not in any way comparing the legendary Becks with our very own Benson Omala, who is at the end of his tether after yet again being snubbed by Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat. While the red-hot Gor Mahia striker is a promising prospect, it’s nearly impossible for him, even in another lifetime, to get anywhere close to the staggering achievements of the legendary Beckham.

On the brighter side, he could draw one huge lesson from the former England captain. When the chips are down, give your best and prove the naysayers wrong. Firat is clearly unimpressed with Omala's exploits in the Football Kenya Federation Premier League. But what better incentive for the young lad to prove a point?   

At 21 years old, Omala is still very young with his entire football career ahead of him. If he keeps doing what he has been doing, soon enough, there will be no need for anyone to argue his case. The team selectors will just come calling.  

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