Dennis Oliech

Early career

Oliech started playing football for Dagoretti Santos in his earlier years, then Mathare United. While in his youth career, Oliech went on trial with Ligue 1 side Marseille, but Mathare United chairman Bob Munro blocked the move from happening. During Oliech's career with Al-Arabi in Qatar, Oliech was playing under a different middle-east name. At one point he said he even forgot the name and had to be reminded that it was his name. Oliech turned professional in 2003 playing for Al-Arabi in Qatar until late 2005. In 2004, he was offered a chance to change his citizenship from Kenyan to Qatari. But he refused the offer. At age nineteen, Oliech was named by The Guardian newspaper as one of the world's most promising young players in a list which included future stars such as Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie. While at Qatar, Oliech played alongside Stefan Effenberg and Gabriel Batistuta during their time at Qatar. He quoted "Batistuta told me, 'Oliech just run and fall in the box and leave the penalty for me'." In 2005, Al-Arabi turned down a Sh100m offer from Monaco to sign Oliech. During the same year, Al-Arabi was told to pay US$15,000 compensation to his youth club by the Fifa's Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC), as the move to sign Oliech. His goalscoring form is well known for goal poacher.

Nantes

In 2005, Oliech signed a four-year contract with the French Ligue 1 team Nantes, with a fee of $3.7 million (KSh.281.2 million/=). Upon the move in…

His first international match was in 2002 when Kenya lost to Nigeria 3–0. He scored five goals at the 2002 CECAFA Cup, leading Kenya to the title as well as getting the top scorer award. Oliech scored three goals, including the winning goal against Cape Verde Islands in the final match of the 2004 African Cup of Nations qualification as Kenya qualified for the final tournament. He also scored a goal in a 3–0 win over Burkina Faso in the 2004 African Cup of Nations itself. In 2005, Oliech sparked controversy when he refused to join the national team squad. This decision came after officials from the Kenya Football Federation (KFF) failed to pay him US$1,700, money he claimed was owed to him. His mother defended him, believing he had a right to demand his money from the Kenya Football Federation. Days before that, Oliech injured his knee ahead of a 2006 World Cup qualifier, but later revealed he quickly recovered from the minor injury. Eight days later, Oliech apologised for his behaviour over the entire situation. On 24 March 2016, Oliech announced his retirement from international football. Most Kenyans believe Oliech's biggest match was against Cape Verde when he scored a last minute goal to allow Harambee Stars to qualify for AFCON Championship in 2004. When asked about his biggest match for the national team, he said "for us football strikers, all matches are big because we have to score. If we don't score then that match wasn't big."

Club

International

Scores and results list Kenya's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Oliech goal.

Oliech's older brother, Nixon Onywanda, is the coach of the Kenyan side Dagoretti Santos (for which Oliech once played). Oliech has a son with his girlfriend and drives a Porche car and lives in an expansive house. In June 2011, Oliech purchased himself a new car, the Chrysler 300C SRT-8 series. In late 2005, a warrant of arrest was issued against Oliech after he failed to appear in court to answer to assault charges raised against him. In late May 2006, Oliech was admitted to hospital after a disagreement, which led to a brawl and left him with face injuries. This just came after being in hospital following an injury in an exhibition match in Maringo during a local tournament.