Bandari goalkeeper trainer Razak Siwa is elated that the club’s shot-stopper Michael Wanyika will gain additional experience ahead of their Caf Confederations Cup matches following his inclusion in the national team.
Wanyika was summoned yesterday to the Harambee Stars provisional squad currently preparing for the first leg of the opening round of the 2020 Africa Nations Championships qualifier against Tanzania.
Siwa believes the gloveman will gain more experience courtesy of training with the national team which will play a massive role in keeping a clean sheet when Bandari face Sudan’s Al Ahly Shandy in the preliminary round set for next month.
Wanyika will be highly looked upon to fill in the shoes of departed Kenyan international and the former club’s first-choice goalkeeper Farouk Shikalo who signed for record Tanzanian champions Yanga.
The former Harambee Stars’ goalkeeper coach has tipped Wanyika to pick from where Farouk left and down-played reports of shopping for an experienced shot-stopper. Prior to his departure to Tanzania, Farouk was part of the Harambee Stars team. “He will gain some experience in the national team which will help the team in the Caf matches.
"The boy played few matches last season and I am glad out of the few he deputised Farouk he was spotted.
"It shows he is talented and I encourage him to keep on working hard and remain disciplined.
"As Bandari, we are not worried that Farouk left as Wanyika and Mustapha Oduor will fill in his shoes perfectly. I have worked with the three and I know their capabilities and we have no reason to panic at all or bring in new keepers,” he said.
Wanyika, who joined Stars yesterday, will offer competition to Kariobangi Sharks first choice John Oyemba and Ulinzi Star’s James Saruni who were part of the team initially called up for residential training. He joins his teammate Abdallah Hassan, who also made it to the squad after unsuccessful trials in South Africa two weeks ago.
The team is expected to depart to Tanzania this Saturday for the first leg slated for the following day in Dar-es-salaam. The return match will be played a week later, on August 4, at the Moi Stadium Kasarani.
Kenya will be hoping to make a maiden appearance at the continent’s second-tier national football competition, which is exclusively reserved for players actively featuring in their respective domestic leagues.
Should Harambee Stars go past Tanzania in the first round, they will come up against Sudan in the second and final qualifying round.
![Farouk Shikalo of Bandari snatches the ball from Stephen Waruru of Sofapaka in a past match / ]](http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4crzCrBiHWnd6yiEOe-rqsHjbUjm57ZJNnltdmvOWiqOqOZfuqyX-qx0JQm4k__XaSqRmORa8nfSIMUi1uhBO504z0JW=s512)