Oliech asked to play for Sofapaka Kalekwa

Former Kenyan international Dennis Oliech personally declared his wish to play for Sofapaka FC, the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) club’s president Elly Kalekwa has said.

Kalekwa claimed Oliech approached him over a playing role at the club last week but said ‘that was just it’ as no formal contact to the club was made by either the player himself or his agent.

The Sofapaka boss was quashing reports that the Batoto ba Mungu are close to signing Oliech who has not played a competitive match in at least three years.

“I met Dennis at Camp Toyoyo during the Ronaldinho exhibition match and he told me he would like to play for my team, but that was just it and nothing more.

“We have a technical bench and a new coach who are in charge of transfers and I will not interfere with their plans for the new season. I want to give them time to do their job and get ready for the new season in which we want to win titles,” Kalekwa said.

Sofapaka assistant coach John Baraza added he was unaware of the reports but said he believes Oliech has some football still left in him and has been trying to hound him out of retirement.

“I keep joking with him telling him to make a comeback because I think he still has something to offer,” Baraza said.

Oliech has been away from club football since 2015 when he terminated his contract with Dubai CSC where he made just 10 appearances after three years with Ajjaccio in Ligue One.

The striker recently held talks with the top leadership of South African Premier Soccer League (PSL) side Free State Stars sometime in May over a possible move to the Bethlehem based club but nothing fruitful was achieved.

Nicknamed “The Menace”  by his adoring fans Oliech is one of the most respected Harambee Stars figures having scored 33 goals off 77 caps for the national team.

He has since been appointed by Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko alongside veteran Musa Otieno and to oversee sports development in the capital.