This archive report was first published on 5 September 2021.
On September 2, 2021, Harambee Stars head coach Jacob 'Ghost Mulee' expressed his admiration for Richard Odada's impressive debut performance in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Uganda.
Odada, a 21-year-old midfielder playing for FC Metellac in the Serbian top tier, had been loaned out by Red Star Belgrade to gain valuable playing time. He had previously played for the Belgrade Under-19 team and trained with Juventus.
Before the game, Mulee had a heart-to-heart with Odada, giving him a long embrace to boost his confidence. 'It was his first game for the senior national team and I just embraced him to give him the confidence and encourage him that he needs to step up,' Mulee said.
Odada's performance in midfield was highly praised by Mulee, who described him as 'one player who I believe will make it into the top top leagues in Europe.' He added that Odada 'won the midfield battle, he was accurate in his passing, he had the hunger and that is what we are looking for as a team.'
Mulee was also pleased with the defense line, which contained a very experienced Ugandan strikeforce. However, he expressed disappointment with the team's performance, stating that they 'didn't pass the ball like we usually do.'
Looking ahead to the next game against Rwanda, Mulee hopes for a positive result. He believes that his squad has a balance of young and senior players, which will make them a solid team in the future.
