Coaches tasked to handle the Kenya Under 19 select boys’ and girls’ teams heading to Spain are confident that a good number of the youngsters will secure deals with top academies and clubs from Europe following the two-week-long exposure.19 girls and 20 boys alongside officials drawn from the Kenya Academy of Sports and Ministry of Sports are expected to jet out this weekend to Spain for a two-week-long sporting engagement in Spain.Among the sporting engagements the two teams, who will be hosted by Nastic Sports Academy, will have in Spain will be featuring in the Costa Daurada Cup and elite training in Tarragona.The first batch is expected to hit the runaway on Friday with the rest traveling on Saturday or Sunday.Talanta Hela U19 boys to face Girona and Nastic Academy pro side in SpainThe boys’ team will be under the tutelage of former Harambee Stars coach Stanley Okumbi with the girls being under the watch of Jackline Juma. Vidah Okeyo and Elisha Nalianya will skipper the teams.According to Nastic Academy bosses who were present during the flagging-off ceremony presided over by Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba, scouts from various academies and clubs in Spain will be keeping a close eye on the Kenyan talents.With this in mind, Okumbi and Juma believe that there lies a huge possibility of several players securing deals similar to the ones the trio of Allan Kasavuli, Aldrine Kibet, and Amos Wanjala did last year.Rising Stars humble Zimbabwe to move closer to tournament titleThe three are in the books of Nastic who were impressed by their qualities during the inter-school football games in which the Ministry of Sports bankrolled to the tune of Ksh.267 million last year.“I am confident that more than five players will get deals. I have told my girls to grab the opportunity as these chances are rare and showcase their best. I am satisfied with the talent I have. I was involved in scouting to naming the last team. It is a good team, the girls are hard-working and confident,” said Juma who doubles up as the national U-15 team coach.His counterpart on the other hand Okumbi remained bullish on matching the Spanish teams tactically despite his boys coming from regional leagues and school competitions.“It will be a good exposure for the boys. It is a plus to have a team in Malawi and the others going to Spain. Most of our players finished school the other day and are in the lower leagues which are not as intense as the top and second tier. We have been working on that and I am sure we will compete fairly with the Spanish teams,” said Okumbi.AFCON 2027: President Ruto kicks off construction of Talanta Sports CityThe sentiments by the two coaches who have a rich history of working with budding players were echoed by Namwamba who challenged the players not to let the opportunity slip through their hands.“These are the pioneers of the Talanta Hela program. The program started way deep at the grassroots up to the national level. I am told scouts will be in Spain to watch our players which is a good opportunity,” said Namwamba.Girls’ team to SpainMercy Akoth OduorChristine AdhiamboEmily Kemunto Morang’aVelma AwuorSunira Were MandaKathleen Jepchumba KurgatQuinter Adhiambo OdiwuorClotilda AumaHalima ImbachiAnn Brendah OchiengSharon VidahPhilister Atieno OjuangRuth AkinyiJoyangela ValenciaElizabeth MidevaHilder Natecho SimiyuLornah FaithMitchel Waithera MuthamaMarion Musanga SerengeBoys’ team to SpainDahir Abdikadir Abdullahi BinduPeter JumaLevis Tirop KiruiDerrick Okech OlooAbdulhafidh Abdillahi AbdallaIrad Mshindi AmbugoNicholas OdhiamboHamisi Otieno AumaSamuel Indonyi MalumbeDennis Ndung’uJoseph OwinoIsmael David OdhiamboElisha NalianyaRobert Mutie MwikaliAustine OdongoInstine Simiyu WanjalaWilliam Gitamu MwangiAlex Kelvin KiprutoIdhris HassanTalena Ochieng’
