Harambee Stars and Stade de Reims defender Joseph Okumu has explained why sleep is his best hobby.

The former Chemelil Sugar defender completed a transfer from KAA Gent of Belgium to Stade de Reims of France on Friday, July 22, 2023, and in his first interview with the Ligue 1 side, he revealed sleep is his best hobby.

Okumu’s hobby

“I’m a very calm person, and I don’t mind staying at home. Do I have a hobby? Sleeping! If you ask me what I do between two sessions, that’s it (laughs). And that’s important for recovery,” Okumu explained.

The former Kakamega High School student also revealed why he took a break in 2017 before embarking on a journey to pursue his career in professional football.

“In 2017, I needed to take a break; I completely stepped away from football for about a year because the previous season had been very tough. But I eventually came back to what I love the most; I couldn’t stay away from the fields indefinitely,” he added.

Okumu left the Belgian side after two seasons with them and is ready to begin his dream journey with Stade de Reims.

As they bade Okumu goodbye, KAA Gent were flattering in their description of the Harambee Star.

“In 2021, he came over from the Swedish Elfsborg to quickly become a permanent fixture in our defense. Okumu excelled mainly due to his speed and athleticism. With his 1.90 m, he was also strong with the head. The four goals that “Jo” scored for KAA Gent were all header goals.

“In 92 official matches, Okumu wore the shirt of KAA Gent. He experienced his best moment on April 18 last year, when he defended very strongly in the cup final against Anderlecht. We don’t just remember Joseph for his qualities on the field. In the past two seasons, he has always shown himself to be smiling, with his heart in the right place.

“KAA Gent therefore wish him every success at his new club in France,” the club said.

At the national level, Okumu has played for the Kenya U20 and U23 sides and captained the latter. He got promoted to the senior side, and his appearance and performance in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt handed him a career breakthrough.

After the AFCON finals, Okumu signed for IF Elfsborg of Sweden in 2019 before making a move to KAA Gent. The centre-back has also played for Free State Stars of South Africa, AFC Ann Arbor, and Real Monarchs, both in the United States.