In Summary
- Aboud Omar addressed his altercation with Eric Johana Omondi, leading to their temporary exclusion from the Harambee Stars camp.
- Coach Engin Firat emphasized discipline but allowed Omar to rejoin the squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
- Omar believes Kenya’s chances would improve if they played in Nairobi, not Malawi, against Burundi and Seychelles.
Aboud Omar, the Harambee Stars left back, has opened up about his conflict with Eric Johana Omondi that led to both being dismissed from the team camp prior to their departure to Malawi for the Four Nations Tournament last March.
Omar, a key player in Kenya’s 5-0 win over Seychelles last November and a veteran of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, was removed from the squad, forcing coach Engin Firat to call up Vincent Mahiga from AFC Leopards and Geoffrey ‘Simity’ Ochieng from Gor Mahia, as senior fullback Erick ‘Marcelo’ Ouma was injured.
Firat Addresses Disciplinary Measures
Coach Engin Firat acknowledged the disciplinary issues but stressed the importance of players adhering to national team standards.
“I was unhappy about their discipline. Nonetheless, they know how to conduct themselves in the national team. I won’t close the door. Now they can show that they deserve to be here,” Firat commented.
Read Also:Marathon Star Chepkoech Hit with Seven-Year Doping Ban
Omar has since been reinstated for upcoming matches against Burundi and Ivory Coast as Kenya gears up for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Omar’s Perspective on Reconciliation
Omar provided his version of events, expressing his pleasure at being back in the team.
“It was a bit personal. The coach said we should not disclose it and that he’d be handling the situation,” Omar said.
He noted that after the incident, they didn’t speak until the coach saw him play against Tusker and subsequently called him up.
“We went to camp and he spoke to me about it. We resolved the issue and it is now behind us.” Omar also shared his belief that Kenya has a good chance of qualifying, but stressed that their chances against Burundi and Seychelles would have been better if they were playing in front of their home fans in Nairobi, rather than in Malawi.
