The youngest player of the Allstars team, Joshua Otieno, today joined the Hull City Under 18 and Under 23 for a training session at Bishop Burton College where the Hull City Academy is based.
Joshua who hardly got a chance to interact with the team as he had joined the AllStars squad late in London, remained in Hull for some exposure, having missed the opportunity like the rest of the team to train on the EPL side grounds. Otieno remained in the UK as the rest of the AllStars side, which was beaten 2-1 by a Hull City team, returned to the country this morning.
Hull City Development Phase Coach Richard O’donnelle, who will be in charge of for the sessions, says he will focus on general match preparation and developing possession. Aspects of this will include passing, endurance, mobility, weight of the pass and accuracy among other tactics.
Accompanied by football development manager Patrick Naggi, Joshua will undergo a two-day training with the Hull team. “I’m excited as this opportunity will help me attain better skills. I don’t feel bad about not taking part in the game. I’m optimistic that there’ll be more opportunities. This is just the beginning,” said an elated Joshua.
Joshua is a form three student at Kakamega High School. The Sony Sugar player plays offensive right position 8 and can also play defensive midfield.
The Hull City club begins its programmes from age 7/8 to 11 years (Foundation Phase) and then progresses to the Youth Phase, which targets age 12-16 and finally to the 18-23 Professional Development Phase. The club further categorises the teams by age each with a head coach and supporting staff to facilitate training and development
