Nairobi City Stars attacking midfielder Timothy ‘Babu’ Ouma has expressed his utmost delight after being called up to the senior national team Harambee Stars for the very first time in his career.After a blistering start to the 2021/2022 Football Kenya Federation Premier League campaign, Babu is among the six new faces that have been handed their maiden call ups by head coach Engin Firat who on Monday 1 November named his 27-man provisional squad that will participate in the country’s last two Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifying games against Uganda and Rwanda.Harambee Stars release provisional squad for World Cup qualifiersSigned in August 2020 before the commencement of the 2020/2021 season, Babu has come out of his shell and burst onto the scene in the newly started 2021/2022 campaign.Unlike last season where he only had three assists in 24 appearances, the 2020 Rift Valley Chapa Dimba Most Valuable Player (MVP) has earned raving reviews after becoming the only player to score in each of the first three games this season before going on to provide an assist in the fourth game, helping his club to their current fifth place on the log on 10 points, just two short of log leading Bandari.💥| @NrbCityStars’ Timothy ‘Babu’ Ouma is the only player in the 2021/2022 FKFPL season to have scored in each of the 3 games played so farAgainst Sofapaka,he scored in the 87′ minute,against Kenya Police in the 18′ and against Wazito in the 78′. Prolific#TimothyOuma #FKFPL pic.twitter.com/1zmcipBW8S— OptaKe (@ke_opta) October 22, 2021 Speaking after receiving the call-up, the prodigious talent earmarked for bright future reveled in the feat.“I am overjoyed to have had a good five games into the season. I have to thank my teammates for pushing me to the special mentions that I have received so far. That push has now led to the biggest call of all which is the National team. It is exciting, and very confusing at the same time. I will go there and promise to give a good account of myself,” the player told his club’s website.Nicholas Kipkirui and Timothy Ouma representing 🔵⚪2 in a row now for Babu 🦁🦁#𝕊𝕚𝕞𝕓𝕒𝕎𝕒ℕ𝕒𝕚𝕣𝕠𝕓𝕚 https://t.co/tMX68TzGNb— Official Nairobi City Stars Fc (@NrbCityStars) October 27, 2021 City Stars head coach Nicholas Muyoti also lauded the youngster’s call up stating it would go a long way in enhancing the player’s confidence.“He has great potential. We wish him all the best. This call will boost his confidence,” he remarked.The other maiden call ups to the squad include Gad Mathews, Amos Nondi, Alwyn Tera, Wilkins Ochieng and Anthony Wambani.Full SquadGoalkeepers: Ian Otieno (Zesco, Zambia), Brian Bwire (Tusker), James Saruni (Ulinzi Stars), Gad Mathews (Gor Mahia)Defenders: Stanley Okumu (KAA Gent, Belgium), Abud Omar (AEL Larissa, Greece), Eric Ouma (AIK, Sweden), Bolton Omwenga (Kagera Sugar, Tanzania), Eugene Asike (Tusker), Johnstone Omurwa (Wazito), Philemon Otieno (Gor Mahia)Midfielders: Amos Nondi (Dilagori, Georgia), Richard Odada (Redstar Belgrade, Serbia), Anthony Wambani (Vasalunds, Sweden), Kenneth Muguna (Azam, Tanzania), Alwyn Tera (FC Ararat, Armenia), Anthony Akumu (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa), Wilkins Ochieng (Club Brugge), Michael Mutinda (KCB), Duke Abuya (Kenya Police), Timothy Ouma (Nairobi City Stars), Eric Johanna Omondi (Jonkopings, Sweden), Boniface Muchiri (Tusker), Abdallah Hassan (Bandari)Forwards: Michael Olunga (Al Duhail, Qatar), Masud Juma (Difaâ Hassani El Jadidi, Morocco), Ismael Dunga (Sagan Tosu, Japan)
