Joseph Okumu has been grabbing headlines since making the big move to Ligue One side Stade de Reims recently. The move to the French club caught many by surprise but his father, Hillary Ouma, admits he expected the player to make a big move after impressing at Belgian side KAA Gent. Ouma, a former Chemelil Sugar FC Team Manager, also revealed Okumu’s management opted for the Reims deal despite solid interest from several Bundesliga and English sides. “I honestly wasn’t surprised with his recent move. He has been on the upward trajectory and I was aware away there was very solid interests and offers from Germany and England but his professional handlers settled on him joining the French Ligue 1. I knew a big move was on the horizon and I am happy for him,” Ouma told Mozzart Sport. Asked why he thinks Okumu has been doing well abroad, Ouma attributed his son’s discipline as the main contributing factor to his success. “He is very humble and disciplined. And not just now that he is playing professionally, he’s always been like that since he way young and I think that has helped him to focus on his career,” Ouma said, Dennis Oliech tips Okumu to make meteoric rise after move to France##NAJAVA_MECA_7395570##”He is also very lucky to have good people around him that guide him accordingly. The sky is not even the limit for him. I know he will soon play in the elite league, be it in the EPL, LaLiga or Bundesliga,” he concluded. Okumu, 26, started his career before crossing over to PSL side Free State Stars in 2016 in what was his first professional stint. He would then move to US lower-tier side AFC Ann Arbor in 2018. A move to Real Monarchs would follow in the same year before he made his European bow with a move to Swedish side IF Elfsborg in 2019 where he played for two season before KAA Gent in Belgium came calling in 2021. He just got started at Reims but expectations are high for the Kenyan International.
