Posta Rangers centre back David Ochieng says his inclusion in the Harambee Stars squad for the final 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Uganda and Rwanda left him emotional.Coach Engin Firat included the experienced defender in his squad for the Uganda match set for Thursday marking an end to his two year wait for the opportunity to don the national team colours.Ochieng who is christened as Cheche walked back to the Stars team alongside Kenya Police duo of Musa Mohammed and Cliffton Miheso as well as Anthony Akumu and Ismael Dunga.Cheche whose last assignment with Stars was in 2018 when Kenya lost her final Africa Cup of Nations qualifier match away to Ghana says his return left him emotional considering that he missed the continental showpiece held in Egypt the following year.Despite missing out, Kenyan international David Ochieng wishes The Harambee Stars all the best in #AFCON2019.#Tunaweza #TotalAFCON2019 #AFCON2019 #HarambeeStars pic.twitter.com/9UDyu5luXN— Kenn Okaka Kenya (@kennokaka1000) June 21, 2019 “The call evoked emotions in me as I had been out for some time. The last time I was called was in 2018, a year I missed the opportunity of representing the country at the Africa Cup of Nations. The consideration shows that impossible is nothing and hard work pays. I didn’t lose hope even when I was overlooked and I am proud to be back to the team,” he said.Cheche who was last season attached to the 2008 league champions Mathare United described the campaign as the toughest he has ever confronted in his career.Mathare dramatically beat relegation in the penultimate fixture of the season much to the relieve of the players and technical bench who had come under severe criticism for watching the top flight status slither through their hands.David Ochieng Cheche has joined Mathare United on a one-year deal from Saudi Arabian side Al Ansar. #FKFPLTransfers #RadullLive pic.twitter.com/8jAxbyKr9x— Carol Radull (@CarolRadull) November 6, 2020 “It was one of the hardest season I have had in my career. We began the season late and worse still, we lost our shirt sponsor midway. We took a lot of time to pick but I am glad we managed to escape the wrath of the axe,” he stated.It is after running down his contract at Mathare that the former IF Brommaporkana defender revealed that Stanley Okumbi enquired over his availability and expressed interests in working with him at Posta. He says having rubbed shoulders with Okumbi in the national team before, he couldn’t turn their offer down.“Okumbi called me and told me he wanted me at Posta and considering that I understood his philosophy thanks to the call ups he afforded me at the national team, I didn’t hesitate in taking the offer. He has recruited well in all departments and the support from the management is quite something,” he disclosed.
