Austin Odhiambo’s exclusion from the latest Harambee Stars squad for the upcoming four-nation tournament in Malawi has continued to generate heat, yet not all sides of the story have been explored.Addressing the press on Tuesday, Stars coach Engin Firat was categorical that the Gor Mahia creative midfielder, arguably the best player in the FKF Premier League at the moment, was not called up because of indiscipline.##NAJAVA_MECA_7971249##”It is very simple with Austin. Last September, he and Stanley [Wilson] were in camp, so what happened? He could not get a visa to go to Qatar, but I told them we would only be in Qatar for two days, so I want them back.We came back, and Stanley was already there, but there was no sign of Austin; no one could reach him. His brother Tyson Otieno was here; I asked him where Austin was, and he said he doesn’t know, which is strange,” Firat sensationally revealed.”The next day at 2 p.m., our team manager gets a message from Austin, and he says he has malaria and has started recovering. I wondered if he could recover from malaria in two days; it is not easy,” he added.”A few hours later, Gor Mahia played against Mathare; who played, and who scored the goal? So, I am wondering now when everybody in the federation knows this, and the next day I will tell the truth to the press. It is no secret, and it is clear, but I am surprised how someone can write these insults online.”Gor Mahia leftback latest inclusion into Harambee Stars squadYet, according to a source close to the player, the former AFC Leopards player was unhappy with the manner in which he was left out of the squad that traveled to Qatar.“Of all the players whose passports were taken for visa processing, why is it that only Austin’s visa did not come out?” paused the source.“That’s where the problem was. Austin was dropped to create room for some players who are close to the powers that be. He knew about it, and he didn’t like it.”“On the matter of illness, the national team has a doctor who follows up on the well-being of players while in camp and even outside. Did they do their job to know how the player was faring?”Mozzart Sport reached out to Austin for comment, but he explained that he wouldn’t wish to escalate the matter further and would like to let it go.Engin Firat explains why he included clubless Akumu in Harambee Stars squad
