F. OdhiamboOtieno longing for Football Kenya Federation Premier League football
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Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 08.09.23. | 11:58
He hopes to return in the top flight in the near future
25-year-old forward Laban Otieno has been out in the cold three seasons now since Western Stima-now defunct- got relegated from the Kenyan top flight.
It had been his first and only season in the FKF Premier League, a competition that eludes him, he feels.
Aiming at his third season with Kisumu All Stars in the second tier National Super League, the speedy winger recalls how close they came to at least earning a play-off slot by the end of the 2022/23 NSL campaign.
‘’Everybody said that we had the best squad yet. And I believe we did. It’s one of those times when just one thing doesn’t work out despite you giving it all,’’ says the former Western Stima man.
This could be in reference to the fact that for all their effort on the field of play, facilitation to attend some of the matches they never honoured could have been in order.
All Stars, despite having a good run in the league at the time, failed to travel to a few away games with the club management citing financial burden.
If this changes in the coming season, Otieno sees no reason as to why Otenga shouldn’t climb up the ladder.
‘’The entire squad is still intact save for a few exits who have already been replaced by equally able players. We have been promised by the management that things will be different so I think the ball is in our court now,’’ he continues.
Otieno, a graduate of the Technical University of Kenya (TUK), came second for TUK in the Golden Boot race during the 2019 Super Eight Premier League.
It is from here that Stima, at the time playing in the top flight, spotted and exposed him to the top tier audiences.
Ace would score four times for the powermen but this would be Stima’s last season, unbeknownst to him.
Having already found the back of the net 12 times for All Stars in his two seasons at the club, the winger sets his sights on double digits during the upcoming season.
‘’I have already found my scoring boots with All Stars during the two seasons so I personally set my targets at double digits in terms of goals, possibly gun for the golden boot. With consistency this cannot be too hard. As for the entire team targets, we are going to stop at nothing until we earn promotion,’’ he concludes.
All Stars have recently upped their pre-season preps with high-profile friendly matches.
This Saturday 9th, they host FKF Premier League side Shabana FC at the Moi Stadium from 10AM.
When the NSL kicks-off on the 17th November, they will host Silibwet Leones for their first match of the season.
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