Harambee Stars midfielder Richard Odada has made a bold promise that they are going to give their best in the Four-Nation tournament.

On Monday, June 12, 2023, Kenya began their journey to Mauritius, where the competition is being held for a week.

Djibouti and Pakistan are the other participants in the June tournament.

Michael Olunga’s personality

“I am looking forward to giving my best for Kenya, and we are looking forward to giving 100 percent,” Odada told the press before the team left for Mauritius.

“We hope we can improve significantly. We have great personalities, including Michael [Olunga], who always helps everybody, whether international or local,” he added.

Although the Harambee Stars were hit by a travel challenge, the Philadelphia Union star hopes they can overcome that and have the best result possible.

After sustained training sessions at Kasarani for almost a week, they could not travel on Saturday according to plans.

“We are hoping and trusting ourselves. Now we are trying to make the team first of all. At the end of the day, we have that in our heads, and we are giving 100 percent,” he added.

Travel hiccups

Kenya will play against Pakistan on Wednesday before a game against Mauritius on Sunday 18.

They had been scheduled to play against Djibouti on Sunday, but the delayed travel meant that the fixture was removed from the schedule.

The competition will be used to gauge Harambee Stars’ fitness levels ahead of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and World Cup qualifiers.

Head coach Engin Firat trimmed his squad to 23 and travelled with five players who could earn their debuts during the tournament.

Kenneth Muguna, Joseph Okumu, and Masoud Juma are some of the players that are not available as they are ruled out with injuries.

However, the absences are chances for other players to grab the opportunities and prove that they are capable replacements.

Firat has always called for high-profile friendlies for Kenya, as he hopes to establish a very competitive team with time.

They have already played Iran and lost in Tehran on March 28, and the Four-Nation tournament is an opportunity for the coach to gauge the fitness levels of his charges.

Victor Wanyama inspiration

Meanwhile, Odada also spoke about Victor Wanyama and how the Montreal Impact star has inspired him.

“I was looking up to him [Wanyama] because he is a good player,” he said.

“I was excited by this opportunity, and I am happy for this opportunity. I am going to do my best and see what happens.

“I am enjoying everything so far.”

Odada has always played in the position that Wanyama used to before he retired. The former Southampton midfielder announced his retirement in 2021 after being part of the national set-up for over a decade.

Wanyama was Kenya’s captain during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, and this was an achievement for him as he led the country back to the African competition for the first time since 2004.

Before he retired, he was targeted by critics, especially when Kenya failed to perform well. A loss against Comoros in a 2021 AFCON qualifier saw Wanyama heavily criticized, as some claimed his performance – in both matches – was below par.

There were hopes that the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder would reverse his retirement and return for Kenya after meeting the Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Ababu Namwamba, early in the year.

However, he has yet to make it clear whether the retirement is permanent or not. His fans, and Harambee Stars supporters at large, are still eager to see whether the experienced star will one day feature for the national side again in the future.

Odada would hope to have far better performances in order to avoid the massive criticism that his predecessor had to deal with.