"In progress": Charlton boss on why Kenya star is yet to make debut in England
This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.
- Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones revealed why Harambee Stars midfielder Timothy Ouma has yet to feature for the club this season
- Ouma missed Charlton's 2-1 Championship victory over West Ham at London Stadium as he continues building his fitness
- Jones pointed to visa complications that delayed Ouma's return from Kenya as a key factor behind his lack of match time
Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones has shed light on why Timothy Ouma has not yet played a competitive minute for the club.
The Kenyan international joined from Slavia Prague in an initial loan deal with the option of making it permanent next season.
Charlton beat West Ham United
Ouma was absent from Charlton's squad for Tuesday's Championship fixture at London Stadium, where goals from Lloyd Jones and Tyreece Campbell secured a 2-1 win over West Ham United.
Taty Castellanos missed a stoppage-time penalty for the Hammers, allowing Charlton to hold on for a result that extended their unbeaten run to three wins from three in all competitions this season.
Why Timothy Ouma is yet to play
Speaking after the match, Jones acknowledged that Ouma had recently featured for the under-21 side but cautioned against rushing the 24-year-old into Championship action.
"Ouma was fine the other day in the U21s. The intensity of a Championship fixture and an U21s fixture are vastly different, he has hardly trained, he had visa issues early on. That wait prolonged us from being able to bring him back over from Kenya, so he has missed a lot of pre-season, and we are building him up, it is a work in progress," Jones said via the club's website.
While Ouma remained sidelined, fellow Kenyan international Collins Sichenje was included in the travelling party and came off the bench in the 78th minute against West Ham.
Charlton's next fixture comes on Wednesday evening, when Jones' side travel to north London to face Tottenham Hotspur in the second round of the Carabao Cup.
Why Charlton signed Sichenje
Previously, we shared details about Collins Sichenje's transfer to Charlton Athletic, where he signed a three-and-a-half-year deal after joining from FK Vojvodina in Serbia.
The young defender's move represents a significant step in his career as the club aims to strengthen its squad amidst a challenging season.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.