EXCLUSIVE; Somali national team players; ”We’ve been neglected; stuck in our hotels”
2 min read
Some of the Ocean Stars players who had recently featured in the FIFA Arab Cup have gone on social media expressing their frustration with the Somali Football Federation, who they claim, has neglected them with some of the players now stranded in a hotel in Djibouti.
One of the Ocean Stars players is seen on video stating that the Somali Football Federation (SFF) has broken their promise in facilitating a return tickets with one of the players asking social media followers ”to buy us a cheap ticket back to our homes.”
The player who had vlogged about the incident had traveled from New Zealand and is currently stranded at a hotel in Djibouti.
This is the first time the young Ocean Stars have played football together, with many analysts questioning the short amount of time the players had spend together, with the players needing more time to develop a understanding with each other.
“When teams are brought together, it is difficult to get along, and it is difficult to get to know each other quickly,” Mohamed Ahmed, a sports analyst and former Somali national team player, told the media.
Mohamed added that however the Somali players have shown great effort, that the Somali Football Federation and the team behind the gathering have done a good job, and that there is a need to continue training and conducting friendlies with other countries to develop ”bonding and cohesion with one another.”
“These young people are highly skilled; They belong to teams at different levels, so all the youngsters were ready to represent their flag and their country, ”said Said Abdi Haybe.
Haybe believes Algeria, who won the Africa Cup of Nations, has benefited with young players developing experience abroad.
“Of Algeria’s 23-man squad, only one has played at home,” he said.
It is not the first time that the Somali football federation has been questioned of its administration and the federation being accused for failing to provide return tickets to its players.
