Dennis Oliech Opens Up on Why He Turned Down Lucrative KSh 890m Offer to Change Citizenship to Qatar

- Dennis Oliech was sought after by a number of clubs in Europe back in 2004 when he was still a wonder kind

- The former Harambee Stars striker at one point received an offer to switch national allegiance

- Today, Oliech says he would have taken up the offer if it was from a European country

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Former Harambee Stars striker Dennis Oliech recently opened up on a number of issues, including why he turned down an offer to change citizenship from Kenya to Qatari in 2004.

At the height of his career, the former Auxerre goalscorer received a lucrative KSh 890 million offer to switch allegiance from Harambee Stars to the Arab nation.

Aged 19, Oliech was listed by British newspaper The Guardian as one of the most sought after talents alongside big names like Wayne Rooney, Robin Van Persie and Wesley Sneijder.

At the time the Qatar rumours were at their peak, the former Gor Mahia man signed a four-year contract with the French Ligue 1 team Nantes, worth $3.7 million (KSh 281 million) in 2005.

The move to Qatar never came to pass and Oliech, in a candid interview with Mozzart bet, subtly hinted at having regrets for not taking up the offer.

“I would say I am 50-50 because right now if I’m offered that amount I will take it but it's too late. The way I know Arab countries it was probably a wise decision then,” Oliech said.

He, however, also stated that if the offer would have come from Europe, he would definitely have gone for it.

“There are people in Kenya working there and they are not having an easy time. If it was a European country of course I would have changed my nationality,” he went on.

Regardless, Oliech went on to have a handsome career, playing for the likes of Nantes, Ajaccio and Dubai CSC.

Away from the pitch, the striker made some investments in the form of assets, which he claimed he had to do sell to help fund his mother and brother’s cancer treatment.

“I have regrets, yes, but I was doing this to treat my mother and brother (Kevin). My mother’s hospital bill came to around KSh 40 million and we had to pay around KSh 84 million for Kevin’s bill, you cannot hold on to an asset and your relatives are ill and need your help,”

Based on his past experiences, Oliech certainly knows better as far as finances and football are concerned.

When Olunga was heavily linked with a move to Qatari club Al-Duhail , Oliech urged his Kenyan counterpart to take the offer as he claimed it was “time for him to make money.”

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