He might be domiciled in the Omani Professional League with mid table regulars Dhofar, but Kenyan Defender Alphonce ‘Ali’ Omija’s value in the beautiful game of football is soaring with every kick of the football.
Aged just 21, Ali is catching attention of football scouts from all over with his masterful positioning, hawkish reading of the game, defensive organization and clean tackles that dispossess strikers’ football with utmost stealth.
Nurtured at the famed Gor Mahia Youth before Kariobangi Sharks pounced for his signature just as he was about to break into the K’Ogalo first team, Ali shared the developmental team with fellow graduates Geoffrey Ojung’a, Lloyd Kavuchi, RichDonald Bolo.
“He was a really promising young defender while he was at Gor Mahia. The only unfortunate this was that there was not clear transition path for all the splendid talents at the time so different clubs pounced on them.
That crop of players has done well wherever they went but Omija’s attributes spelt a brighter career ahead of him. He was very disciplined and I bet that virtue still stands considering how well he’s progressing. His height and ability on the ball also made him stand out as a ball playing defender,” a former assistant coach at Gor Mahia offered
His sojourn with Sharks was short but very impactful as it introduced him to the rigors of mpira ya biashara as local parlance labels paid football.
With the Oman Professional League only halfway into the season, Omija is the club’s standout player. Nestled 7th in a twelve-team log, Dhofar Club could perhaps be lower in the table. But the work rate, prowess and leadership of the Kenyan lad has come in handy for the club.
He’s been directly involved with goal preventing situations that kept the team’s goals conceded lower. Omija has also added goals to his game, popping up with important goals for the team.
It is no wonder that his transfer prize has risen significantly to Sh40 million according to reputed organization Transfermarkt.
Born and bred in Korogocho Nairobi, Omija is a destined to higher leagues. The scouts and representatives of European clubs are circling around the marvelous Kenyan boy and it is just a matter of when he makes the big move.
Scouts from European clubs have regularly watched Omija with particular interest emanating from Turkish and Swedish scouts. Dhofar are braced for a bif for their prized defender but as anticipated, will not let of of Omija at a time that football in the gulf is enjoying a boom and attracting the best from Europe.
