The long wait by football stakeholders and Kenyans to have the final glimpse of Harambee Stars all-time top scorer Dennis Oliech's magic in front of the goal could soon come to an end after the striker opened up on his plan to have his farewell match this year.
Oliech caught everyone by surprise after he formally hanged his boots in January last year, bringing an elegant career spanning almost two decades to an end.
Moments after the announcement of his retirement, fans waited with bated breath for his farewell match but the former AJ Auxerre striker is looking forward to belatedly bidding fans goodbye on the pitch.
The former FC Nantes forward, whose Stars goal scoring record stands at 34, revealed that the delayed farewell match was occasioned by lack of funds as well as the coronavirus pandemic which struck two months after his retirement.
The former Stars' skipper said he was pursuing sponsors to bankroll the match, which according to his blueprint, will feature foreign players who ply their trades in Europe as well as revered local players and their counterparts who play abroad.
Current Stars skipper Victor Wanyama, his elder brother McDonald Mariga and former skilful midfielder Jamal Mohammed are some of the names he proposes to play in the match.
The former Gor Mahia striker, who lifted the lid on his intentions to run for Football Kenya Federation (FKF) presidency in the near future, said he was in touch with a number of high rated players in Europe who will grace his send off match.
"I have been thinking of my farewell match for months and I am hoping to have it this year as a way of thanking and appreciating everyone who has supported me in my career. It was my plan to have it just after retirement but the biggest challenge has been lack of funds. Organising such a match requires finances to invite and host big players and I am appealing to corporates to come on board and assist me in realising my dream," said the former Al- Arabi talisman.
"I have a list of foreign players whom I wish to have for the match which will be played during the off season. It may take at least five months of planning to have the match and I hope by the time I am done with the paper work, Covid-19 will be behind us and fans will be allowed in the stadium ," said the former Mathare United player.
Besides having the match for his farewell, Oliech wants to invite former players who donned the Stars colours with him in the late 90's and 80's to capitalise on the platform and wave goodbye to the fans.
The former Ajaccio marksman said he will accord Kenyans the opportunity to select players whom they would wish to grace the match through a website.
"Very few or no former Stars' player has had a proper farewell and I intend to invite majority of them to come and say goodbye to the fans during the match," added the former Dubai CSC man
