Timbe, Marcelo and Johanna pull out of Stars friendlies

Harambee Stars winger Ayub Timbe i action against Zambia’s Chipolopolo in an African Cup of Nations Qualifier in 2016. PHOTO/Courtesy

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 21- Winger Ayub Timbe, defender Eric ‘Marcelo’ Ouma and midfielder Eric Johanna have all asked to be excluded out of the forthcoming Harambee Stars friendly matches against Uganda and DR Congo as they look to settle in their new clubs.

Timbe has just completed a move from Belgian outfit SK Lierse to Chinese Second Division club Beijing Renhe and is yet to settle in to the Chinese Capital.

Ouma on his side joined Georgian side Kolkheti Poti and is in the process of cementing a regular starting place in the team having been a consistent figure in the first few games of the season.

Former Mathare United midfielder Johanna arrived in Stockholm, Sweden on Sunday as he begins his first European adventure with Division One side Vasalund IF after a delay in getting documentation.

Eric ‘Marcelo’ Ouma in action in a past KPL match.PHOTO/Gor Mahia

First Coach Stanley Okumbi has now called up winger Paul Were to the squad with the former Tusker FC and AFC Leopards attacker yet to land a new club after leaving Greek side Arachanaikos. He had been attending trials in Finland with VPS.

At the same time, the other legion of foreign based players have already checked into camp with the Zesco United duo of center-back David ‘Calabar’ Owino and forward Jesse Were leading the pack joined by Bulgaria-based left-back Aboud Omar, creative midfielder Johanna Omolo and forward Michael Olunga.

Skipper Victor Wanyama who plies his trade with English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur as well as defenders Brian Mandela and David ‘Cheche’ Ochieng will be arriving on Tuesday night and are expected to join the rest of the team for the Wednesday morning training session.

Meanwhile, DR Congo arrived in the country on Monday night while Uganda Cranes arrived on Tuesday morning. The two will train in Nairobi before moving to Machakos each a day to the match.

DR Congo have brought in a star studded team lead by Seville midfield star Steven N’Zonzi, African Cup of Nations top scorer Junior Kabananga, Hull City forward Diumerci Mbokani, Newcastle United’s Chancel Mbemba and former Chelsea winger Gael Kakuta who now turns out for Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna.

Uganda Cranes head coach Milutin Sredojevic in action during an international match.PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu.

Uganda has opted for a more local feel to their squad for the Thursday match. From his squad of 18, Serbian coach Milutin Sredojevic has named six foreign based players, five of them playing in the East African region.

Gor Mahia’s Godfrey Walusimbi and Tusker’s Shafik Batambuze have made the squad of foreign based players which also includes Murushid Juuko (Simba SC, Tanzania), Yassar Mugerwa (Saint George, Ethiopia), Kirizestom Ntambi (Jimma Aba Buna, Ethiopia) and Hassan Wasswa (Nijmeh, Lebanon).

The side will have its first training session on Tuesday afternoon at the Camp Toyoyo Ground in Nairobi’s Jericho estate.

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