Paul Were trains with Harambee Stars on Friday. PHOTO/Courtesy
NAIROBI, June 7 – Football Kenya Federation (FKF) have intervened to have winger Paul Were play for Kenyan Premier League champions Gor Mahia as the former AFC Leopards star’s extended wait to feature for his new club continues.
Were was snapped-up by K’Ogalo on KPL transfer deadline day but he is yet to get clearance to take on to the field having also missed Saturday’s CHAN qualifier for Harambee Stars due to complications with securing his International Transfer Certificate (ITC).
The national federation has subsequently appealed to world body FIFA’s Players Status Committee for the release of the ITC from relegated South Africa’s Premier Soccer League side Amazulu.
Were, who penned a six-month deal on the night of the June transfer deadline day, is ineligible to play for the back-to-back KPL champions until the world governing body resolves the matter.
Gor assistant Secretary General, Ronald Ngala told Capital Sport the federation is to blame since they requested the ITC late despite the club having applied immediately after Were agreed terms on June 30.
“The matter is now being handled by FIFA’s Players Status Committee who will either decide to give him (Were) a provisional ITC or decline to issue him with one.
“If they say no, that means he will not be eligible to play in Kenya but can play in South Africa since the transfer window is still open. Amazulu indicated they would release him but they delayed issuing him the letter which they did on June 26,” Ngala told on Tuesday.
“He (Were) also took time in making up his mind before we applied for the ITC that required his approval,” he added.
The speedy winger, who is training with K’Ogalo, mutually ended his three-year contract with Amazulu becoming a free agent after securing the move from Leopards.
Head coach, Frank Nuttall who was looking forward to work with the attacking midfielder will however, field striker Enoch Agwanda whom they acquired from KPL rivals Sofapaka when they host Thika United at Nairobi City Stadium on Wednesday.
Were, was in Stars head coach Bobby Williamson’s plan for 2016 CHAN return-leg clash against Ethiopia before being dropped from the squad that was bundled out at the preliminary round after failing to get the ITC.
He joined Gor a fortnight after scoring the opener in Stars 1-1 draw 2017 Afcon qualifier away to Congo Brazzaville.
This is not the first time unbeaten K’Ogalo are having issues with ITC.
In April last year, they were forced to sideline former Harambee Stars winger, Patrick Oboya from their squad after FIFA threatened to impose sanctions on them for irregular signing of the player who was released at the beginning of the season.
Meanwhile, the club has announced tickets for their Thika match will cost Sh600 for VIP and Sh300 for terraces reflecting a hike in the prices.
The champions who are unbeaten in 16 welcome the tricky side who are seventh who are on a high after flooring archrivals Leopards 1-0 in a tempestuous home encounter where police were forced to lob teargas and fire live bullets to quell rioting fans in violence that spilled from Thika Sub-County Stadium to the streets to the town.
