Harambee Stars legend Dennis Oliech has sharply criticised the national team’s technical bench after star striker and captain Michael Olunga was left out of the squad for this month’s international friendlies.
Kenya is set to face Equatorial Guinea on November 14 and Senegal on November 18 in Antalya, Turkey, but head coach Benni McCarthy’s squad announcement raised eyebrows across the country after Olunga’s name was missing.
The decision sparked immediate debate among fans, especially given Olunga’s current form and looming milestone. With 34 goals for the national team, he is just one strike away from equalling William “Chege” Ouma's long-standing record of 35 goals. The two friendly matches would have offered the Al-Duhail striker a prime chance to level or even break the historic mark.
Oliech, Kenya’s second all-time top scorer, who retired from international football in 2016, did not hold back while speaking to Flash Score.
“Olunga deserves to be in the Harambee Stars squad,” he said.
“The coach doesn’t deserve to leave Olunga out because he is the leading captain and the best striker for Kenya. Until Olunga says, ‘I have retired,’ that is when he should be left out of the squad.”
The former Auxerre and Nantes forward argued that Olunga’s presence is invaluable not only for his goals but also for the leadership and motivation he brings to the dressing room.
“Having Olunga in the squad, with the experience he has, will motivate the young players. It is unfortunate that Kenya is going to Turkey without experienced players. Even the young players will feel burdened without senior players guiding them,” he said.
Oliech added that experienced players do not necessarily need to start every game but can influence matches and build confidence from the bench.
“For me, I still believe Olunga is part and parcel of the national team and should not be ignored. In the next two to three years, Olunga deserves to play for Kenya — until he says, ‘I can’t run anymore,’ that is when we will accept,” said the former Stars striker.
Recent World Cup Qualifiers
The friendlies come shortly after Kenya's mixed results in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers — a 1-0 win over Burundi followed by a 3-0 loss to African champions Ivory Coast.
As Harambee Stars regroup in Turkey, the debate over Olunga’s omission is likely to continue dominating football discussions across the country.
