Ulinzi Stars have hit the ground running with coach Benjamin Nyangweso boosting his playing unit with the acquisition of midfielder Kelvin Thairu, who is officially confirmed as the first new signing.
Up until the end of the 2018/19 Kenyan Premier League (KPL) season, Thairu was attached to Mount Kenya United and started in both games as the team, which was eventually relegated, played Ulinzi Stars.
Nyangweso admitted the player has been on the club’s radar for a while and is keen to reap on his prowess as an attacking midfielder, citing his ball distribution in midfield as a key attribute.
The midfielder has already reported to training and Nyangweso is confident he will get along well with his new team-mates for good effect.
“Thairu is a good player; we’ve been following him for a while now and we are happy to have him. Tactically, he comes in to boost our midfield, especially on the attacking front because we really needed that. He has good ball supply in midfield and we are looking to reap a lot from that.
“He has started training and I expect him to gel well with the others as time goes. That is the essence of having him in the preseason,” he said.
After weeks of pre-season training in Nakuru, Ulinzi Stars’ base has shifted to Nanyuki in the Mount Kenya region, where Nyangweso is set to shape up his charges for the 2019/20 season.
The high altitude training is aimed at developing the players’ endurance as the target for the new season remains to better the 2018/19 performance and as the team sets camp there, the officer-in-charge, Captain Kelvin Opuko is confident the players will gain massively.
“Intensive pre-season training is always very important as we gear for a tough season and after weeks in Nakuru, it is time for us to go a notch higher, thus the choice of this high altitude centre. At the end of our camp here, I believe we will be much closer to taking on the new season,” the OIC stated.
At the height of the team’s high altitude training, a number of friendly matches have been lined up to assess the team in a game situation, which will also aid coach Nyangweso to check out new signings and the prospective ones.
