What was initially supposed to be a makeshift role during an eleven-a-side friendly match ended up earning the youngster a contract. He has since gone ahead to become a permanent figure in AFC Leopards’ starting XI and is also the fans’ favorite. This is the story of Kayci Odhiambo.Born 20-years ago in Makadara, the outskirts of Nairobi, Kayci is one of the first-rising youngsters in Kenyan football. His success however is not out of sheer luck, it has been a journey of being pushed and nurtured in the right way. He has grown up in a football environment that influenced his entry into the game.”I started playing football at a young age. There was that influence from within because my uncle Isaiah Digollo and Eric ‘Cantona’ Ochieng both played football at the top level and so I can say I was influenced to start playing. The real journey however started when I joined Makadara Junior League Academy now Hakati Sportif, that was at the age of ten,” he tells Mozzart Sport.”At that age, you could play in any position, it all depended on the turn on a particular training session or match Day and so I didn’t really specialize in one single position, I featured in a couple of positions,” he adds.Kayci Odhiambo is class above all the young central defenders in this country.Interestingly he’s naturally a midfielder.#FKFPL pic.twitter.com/QIdiwbgdJM— Ole Teya (@Kevin_teya) April 3, 2022 At Hakati, he worked closely with coach Stanley Achima who sadly passed on in July 2021. He says he learned everything about the game under the departed coach.”Coach Achima taught me everything about football. He instilled basics in us and went next level to get me things like boots, whenever I felt like giving up he was there to push me all the way, he prepared me for a successful career and I wish he lived long enough to see me prosper but I will keep making him proud by working hard and keeping the values that he taught me,” he adds.After eight years at Hakati, Kayci decided to move away and try his luck in the competitive world, he joined Mt. Kenya United now Dandora Love in the National Super League during the 2020/21 season. His life-long coach was however against the move as he had other plans for the youngster.”When I got the offer, I felt the time was ripe for me to move but coach Achima was against it because he was in talks with AFC Leopards and wanted to be a little patient as he worked on the deal. In the end, however, I moved to Mt. Kenya United where I lasted for a season. I enjoyed my time at Mt. Kenya,” the last born in a family of two adds.Nominees for Young Player of the Year award. #FKFPLAwardsAlfred Tanui (Kisumu Allstars FC)Alvin Ochieng (Kisumu Allstars FC)Ben Stanley Omondi (Migori Youth FC)Brian Michira (Shabana FC)Kayci Odhiambo (Mt. Kenya United Fc)— kay Kuti💙 (@1kaykay22) September 14, 2021 At Mt. Kenya United, the youngster quickly established himself as a key player alternating from defensive midfield to attacking midfield areas, fans, coaches and other football stakeholders who attended Mt. Kenya United’s matches at Camp Toyoyo could easily notice that he was a special talent and at the end of the season, he was nominated for the young player of the season award which eventually was won by Kisumu All-Stars’ Alfred Emoni Tanui who’s currently in the books of Nzoia Sugar.After a season with Dandora Love, Kayci got an invitation to try out with AFC Leopards who were rebuilding after a mass walkout of players due to the club’s financial challenges. He alongside other players tried out for a couple of weeks before he eventually earned a deal.”The trials were not easy at first because we were very many and the coach would drop some players after every training session. So there was that bit of uncertainty and anxiety but I kept pushing nonetheless because I believed I had the talent to play for Leopards. Lewis Bandi, whom I played with an Hakati kept pushing and encouraging me to give my best, ” he adds. Zachary Gathu: Three promotions and a graceful growth out of the gameWith the window closure fast approaching, Odhiambo was one of the few trialists remaining with the team and one friendly game changed everything in his favor.”So on this day, we were to play an eleven-a-side friendly game but there was a problem, the second team didn’t have enough defenders and so the coach asked me to fill in for that particular match. Remember during the entire trial period I was training as a defensive midfielder. In that game I think I impressed him and after the match that coach told me that he was going to sign me, I signed my contract the following day and that’s how my journey as a central defender started,” he continues.Kayci Odhiambo na Sylvester Odhiambo wataenda majuu soon.— Nebs (@ItsKubasu) April 3, 2022 After inking a deal with Leopards, he did not expect to be thrown into the deep end, but as he would later find out, coach Aussems was more than impressed by his input and the quality that he had shown in training.”There are more experienced defenders in the team and I expected to be a backup but I was thrown into the deep end immediately, fortunately with the help of Robert Mudenyu, Joachim Oluoch, and Tedian Esilaba whom to date I keep learning from, I adapted fast enough and so far so good, ” he continued.He also believes that the youthful nature of Ingwe’s squad played a role in him settling down fast at the den.”There are so many young players in the team and I think that helped me settle easily in the team. We are friends and I am enjoying it here” he adds.His versatility is however something that coach Achima saw earlier and three years ago, he had predicted that the Olympics High School Alumnus would thrive.”He has the quality and at just 18 years old is destined to become one of the best exports this country has ever seen. He is a midfielder by trade but can play as a right-back or a central defender and is very good at dead ball situations,” Achima told Soka in a past interview. The youngster equally believes that the nurturing they got at Hakati played a role in ensuring their versatile nature as is the case with Lewis Bandi who is naturally a midfielder but has established himself as a fullback at the den.”At Hakati they instilled basics on us, and you are taught how to adapt to different game situations. I believe that knowledge is what enables us to be versatile because you are molded as an all-rounder and I once again want to thank Coach Achima for that, ” he continues.Last season we had Frank Odhiambo and Sylvester Owino.This year we have Kayci Odhiambo, a ball-playing Central Defender. Watch out for the young lad.#FKFPL pic.twitter.com/4PMsR5w1sz— Ole Teya (@Kevin_teya) January 11, 2022 At Leopards, he has established himself as a first XI player, and he says he is enjoying playing the passing brand of football Ingwe are playing at the moment although he faces one challenge.”Coach Aussems’ style of football suits me. I am a ball-playing footballer and as such, I enjoy the football that we are playing right now. However playing needs one to be tough because strikers can be very physical I have adapted and I believe that I am doing just fine, ” he adds.The fans are singing his name, coaches are hyping him and some believe it’s just a matter of time before he starts getting included in the national team set up but the player is not buying any of the hype yet.”I am just a few months into my top-flight career, it’s good to hear people say nice things about you but I don’t let them get into my head. I have a very long journey ahead and I just want to enjoy the moment and keep improving. Everything else will come at the right time and for now, I am just enjoying the game,” he adds.The player was equally coy about his dream club outside the Kenyan borders.”I try not to think much about playing outside the country and I can’t say that I really have a preferred destination. I am enjoying my time at Leopards, I have a contract with them and that’s it for now, what is meant to happen will happen,” he adds.Kayci Odhiambo gives Leopards the third goalRangers 1 Leopards 3— Meshack Kisenge (@kisengemeshack1) February 13, 2022 The player gave a sneak view of his closeness with former AFC Leopards and Harambee Stars great Eric ‘Cantona’ Ochieng who is also his uncle. He downplayed assumptions that he is under pressure to follow in the path of his uncle who was very successful as a player.”We talk on a daily basis, we don’t just talk about football because he is my mentor and uncle there are many other life issues we talk about on a daily basis and he is a very helpful person. I am not under any pressure, he left his mark during his time and I am here to leave my mark, he guides me but does not put much pressure on me”. He also spoke of his decade-long friendship with Bandi who joined Leopards a season earlier from Hakati.”We’ve grown up together. I have known Bandi for 13 years and he has been my friend through and through. Joining him at Leopards was a happy reunion for both of us, it’s nice to see us, make steps up the ladder after many years at Hakati and I pray that we keep growing together,” he adds.On the team’s target for the season, he says they want to keep improving and hopefully finish among the top teams in the log. “We are on a good run right now, we just want to keep improving. If we can win the remaining matches of the season the better, we want to finish among the top positions on the table to make our fans happy.” Kenyan teenage midfielder takes Spain by stormDespite a rising career on the pitch, the player wants to go back to school to further his studies.”I definitely want to succeed as a player so that I can improve my life and that of my family. I also want to go back to school to further my studies because I want to have a fallback plan after football.” He concludes.BioName: Kayci OdhiamboYear of birth2002EducationOlympics Secondary SchoolRole ModelDani Alves
