Kenyan football has produced some of the continent’s finest talents, but many believe that its strikers are not good enough to compete abroad. While some have managed to secure contracts with foreign clubs, the majority have struggled to make an impact and end up returning home. This raises the question: are Kenyan strikers not good enough to compete abroad?One of the notable examples is George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo, who was named the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) player of the year in 2010. A year after his achievement, he left to join Danish second tier side Randers on a four and a half-year contract. However, hardly a year into his contract, the Gor Mahia striker asked to be released after expressing a ‘strong desire to return home,’ and that was the end of his attempts to turn professional in Europe.Similarly, Benson Omala, another Gor Mahia striker, left to join Swedish division one side Linkoping on a six-month loan move with the hope of making the move permanent. However, Omalla did not last and returned home hardly two months into his move. While it is still unclear why the move did not materialize, other reports suggest that the striker could not cope with the expectations at his new club. Former Tusker forward David Majak also made a brief stint in Sweden with a loan move to top side Kalmar FF and was not good enough to be retained despite an impressive performance in the Kenyan league. Lanky South Sudanese striker rejoins TuskerEx-Gor Mahia official backs Omala after disappointing Sweden sojourn##NAJAVA_MECA_7041882##Over the weekend, former KCB striker Derrick Otanga revealed that he had terminated his contract with Libyan club Al-Ittihad Misurata four months after signing with the club. Otanga was the league’s top scorer last season after scoring 16 goals, but he seems to have found it difficult to chalk up playing time. Exclusive: Otanga returns home after unsuccessful Libyan sojourn, ready to start afreshAccording to Jamal Ibrahim, an agent who handles a number of Kenyan players in Europe, the pressure to perform by some of these clubs is what is making it difficult for some players to stay. “There are a number of players who are doing well. But if you see their progression, it has taken them time to settle. You can’t just take a player from Kenya, put them in a team, and they start scoring,” he said. Ibrahim highlighted culture and language barriers as some of the challenges that Kenyan players have to deal with before settling abroad.However, despite the struggles faced by Kenyan strikers abroad, there is still hope for the future. Michael Olunga and Victor Wanyama are currently the best Kenyan football imports, but they also had a treacherous journey to the top. Olunga, who is currently playing for Al-Duhail in Qatar, started his journey in Kenya before moving to Swedish side Djurgardens in 2016. He then moved to Spanish side Girona and later Japan where he became the J1 League top scorer in the 2019 season with Kashiwa Reysol before making a move to Qatari side Al Duhail where he is now a household name.Wanyama, on the other hand, started his career in Kenya before moving to Belgian side Beerschot AC. He then moved to Scottish giants Celtic where he won two Scottish Premiership titles before making a move to English Premier League side Southampton. He then moved to Tottenham Hotspur where he played for four years before moving to the MLS with Montreal Impact. It is clear that Kenyan players have the potential to succeed in Europe, but it is also clear that they face unique challenges in doing so. Cultural and language barriers, as well as the pressure to perform, can make it difficult for some players to adapt. However, with the right support and guidance, more Kenyan players could follow in the footsteps of Olunga, Wanyama, and others who have succeeded abroad.
