Sofapaka ace Asike confident of getting into starting line-up at his new South African club Bidvest

NAIROBI, KENYA: Sofapaka defender Eugine Asike is confident of commanding a starting place atPremier Soccer League (PSL) side Bidvest Wits.

Sofapaka defender Eugine Asike

“This is a big club and, being a foreigner, expectations will be high. But I remain highly motivated to do whatever it takes to fight for a first place in the team,” he said.

The club finished fourth in the PSL last season. They were impressed by the Kenyan defender when he went for trials in January. The defender said his move will open up more opportunities to other local players and raise the standards of play in the country.

“Obviously, this is a good move for me personally and for the country as well because it means more players out of the country and this can only be good for the national team Harambee Stars,” he said.

The defender expressed disappointment for missing out on the World Cup qualifiers after being dropped by coach Adel Amrouche.

“When Henri Michel was in charge of the team, I was always a regular and it is a bit disappointing that I have been left out, but, on the positive side, I feel challenged to work extra hard so that I can win my place back in the squad,” he said.

influential midfielder

Elsewhere, Sofapaka have parted ways with influential midfielder Osborne Monday.

According to coach David Ouma, the player asked to leave the club one week ago and they saw no reason to hold onto him.

“Monday has struggled to find a place in this team and when he asked to leave, we had no option but let him go.

“Looking back, we feel that, as a technical bench, he has not given us what we wanted. He is a talented player, no doubt, but his attitude was not the best,” said Ouma.

Monday has been spotted training with Gor Mahia at City Stadium, but it is not clear whether the club is interested in signing him.

The midfielder has previously played for Mathare United in the Kenyan Premier League (KPL). He has also played for Azam in the Tanzanian league before returning home to join Sofapaka.

And Azam midfielder Humphrey Mieno has said the experience of featuring in the Tanzanian league has improved his output on the pitch incredibly.

The midfielder joined Azam on loan from Sofapaka at the beginning of this season and helped the club reach the third round of the Confederations Cup tournament.

“There is a lot of pressure in the Tanzanian league because of the huge fan base. The expectations are obviously higher and this forces you to raise your game,” he said.

Mieno, however, pointed out that the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) remains more competitive, considering that there are only four top sides in Tanzania.

“In the KPL, the competition is extremely high because even the small team can win against a top side. In Tanzania, the top clubs are known to always do well,” he added.

By Gilbert Wandera, The Standard

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