Former Harambee Stars captain Dennis Oliech warms up before his last match for the national team in July 2015 against Zambia at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 9- Dennis Oliech on Wednesday afternoon held talks with Premier Soccer League (PSL) side Free State Stars’ top management as he looks close to come off a two and half-year playing silence by signing for the Bethlehem based club.
Free State Stars head coach Luc Eymael has told Capital Sport that the talks were ‘fruitful’ and said they will work on the finer details of the deal when they return for pre-season training on June 18.
“Dennis (Oliech) had a very good meeting today (Wednesday) with the management and everything is on good track. He has to return to France for some family issue and the talks are not yet finalized because he has to have all his papers in order for us to start processing the work permit,” Eymael said.
“We expect him back with us on June 18 when we start pre-season with all his papers in order. We will also do a medical after this and hopefully finalize the deal,” He added.
The former Harambee Stars captain trained with Free State Stars for nine days and impressed Eymael despite admitting he has a lot to do in terms of attaining good fitness levels.
“The fitness is not yet there but he has a lot of quality with skills and everything. He’s scoring in training and for me I am very positive that things will be okay but now it depends with the bosses,” Eymael told Capital Sport previously after observing the player in training.
If everything goes as planned, Oliech will become the second Kenyan player to play for Free State after youngster Joseph Okumu who turned out for them in the 2016/2017 season.
He will also become the fourth Kenyan currently in the PSL after Brian Mandela (Maritzburg United), Massoud Juma (Cape Town City) and Victor Ali Abondo (Bloemfontein Celtic).
“I am positive that this deal will be sealed once we come back for pre-season. There are two or three small things he has to finalize with the management in the deal and we will see how things go now moving forward,” Eymael, formerly with AFC Leopards said.
Oliech has been off club football since leaving Dubai Cultural Sports Club where he spent half a season after three seasons with Ajjaccio in the French top tier.
His last match for Harambee Stars was in on September 6, 2015 when he played in Kenya’s 2-1 loss to Zambia in an African Cup of Nations qualifier under the then head coach Bobby Williamson.
