Why I turned down Stars- Baraza
by Collins Okinyo 07 July 2012, 20:40
Prolific striker John Baraza has explained why he turned down a call up to the national team Harambee Stars for last month’s World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Baraza who has been in superb form this season with 14 goals in 17 matches intimated to SuperSport.com that he felt unhappy at being recalled at the last minute and yet he was the league’s best scorer in the first leg.
"I felt the coach did not need my services at first and only considered me at the very end when the striking options were limited. I love playing for Harambee Stars but even in school a teacher cannot reward a student with a C and avoid the student with an A. I felt the coach only needed me when things were not good that is why I declined."
"I thank God for always keeping me fit and ensuring that I score goals and I would like to ask fans to understand my reasons for declining to play since I felt I was an afterthought and yet there had been calls to include me in the team but the coach thought otherwise," Baraza told SuperSport.com.
"I will never give my back to the national team which I hold in high esteem but I also believe the people given the jobs should go for performers who will add value to the team instead of sometimes playing people who are not even active in football,” he added.
Baraza is has been Kenyan Premier League’s top scorer three times in his career. In 2001 he was top scorer with 22 goals while playing for Oserian. In 2009 he had 15 while playing for Sofapaka and he also got 15 in 2010.
