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Firat explains decision to overlook Clarke Oduor
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Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 01.10.21. | 20:05
Oduor has put up inspiring performances for Barnsley this season but failed to impress Engin Firat.
The decision to exclude Clarke Oduor from the Harambee Stars squad raised a number of eyebrows from Kenyans but head coach Engin Firat revealed that he is yet to be convinced by the copper-bottomed wingback.
The 22-year-old has dazzled for English Football League (EFL) Championship side Barnsley but his flamboyant style of play is yet to translate to tangible output as he has only provided one assist this season.
Speaking to the media at a Harambee Stars open media training session, Firat opened up on his decision to overlook Clarke and Eric Johana who plies his trade in Sweden with Jönköpings Södra.
WOW!!!!! 😲
— Barnsley FC (@BarnsleyFC) September 18, 2021
Clarke Oduor skips past two, before nutmegging a Rovers defender on his way towards goal...
... but his final effort is well saved by Thomas Kaminski!
🅱️ 0 - 0 🟡 [24'] pic.twitter.com/JLbkQHZIaS
“He (Clarke) has to show that he deserves it, I don’t believe that he deserves it at this moment. I have no connection with anyone here, I see only what is going on in the field and he has not shown it yet,”
“In Sweden, we had a player, Omondi (Eric Johana) which I also did not see what he can offer at the moment but this does not mean the door is closed, my decision is for the moment and I do not care about names,” said Firat.
Oduor has been handed a new lease of life following the arrival of head coach Markus Schopp after being on the periphery last under the tutelage of Valérien Ismaël who has since joined West Brownwich Albion.
The pacy wingback earned his first cap in the 2-1 win over Zambia in an international friendly and made a goal-line clearance to ensure victory for Harambee Stars.
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The German-Turkish tactician also revealed that he assessed the performance of Kenyan-born Somali Handwalla Bwana who is in the books of Major Soccer League (MLS) side Nashville but opted for Switchbacks midfielder Philip Mayaka.
“We took from USL Philip Mayaka we also have another player in the MLS (Bwana) but I feel Mayaka is more ready than Bwana,”
“This is my belief and I do not care what other people believe because this kind of discussion never ends because there are many players around the world my job is to put the best players in the moment to have a squad for Kenya,” added Firat.
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