This archive report was first published on 10 September 2019.
As Kenya's Harambee Starlets prepare to face Ghana's Black Queens in the final round of the 2020 Olympics qualifiers, a section of the team's players have expressed disappointment over the recent changes in the squad.
Cheris Avilia, a key player in the team, has come out to urge coach David Ouma to reconsider his decision to drop experienced players, including herself, from the squad.
According to Avilia, the changes were made without considering the sacrifices made by the players in previous tournaments, including the 2016 African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) and subsequent competitions.
"It was so painful for us to be excluded after the sacrifices we made to fly the national flag high, maybe because of the allowances the federation owes us," Avilia said.
Avilia noted that the federation owes each player who took part in the previous tournaments, including AWCON 2016, COSAFA 2017, and 2018 AWCON qualifiers, as well as international friendly matches, amounts as high as Sh. 100,000.
Avilia believes that blending the newly called-up players with the still competitive veterans will be vital if Kenya has to sink Ghana's Black Queens en route to Tokyo.
"I congratulate coach Ouma and the newly assembled team for defeating Malawi in the second round of the qualifiers, but going to Accra for the first leg match against Ghana, I believe some of us need to be called back to the squad," Avilia explained.
Avilia's teammates, including Neddy Atieno, Mary Kinuthia, Christine Nafula, Esse Akida, Wendy Achieng, and Elizabeth Ambogo, who starred in Ouma's previous squad in different competitions, have also been overlooked in the current campaign.
Black Queens thrashed Gabon 5-0 on aggregate to book a date with Starlets in the final round of the Olympics qualifiers.
