Paul Were

Paul Were
Personal information
Full namePaul Were
Date of birth8 January 1991
Place of birthKenya
Playing positionWinger
Club information
Current team
AmaZulu
NumberTBA
Youth career
FISA Academy
–2009Mathare Youth
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2010–2012Tusker
2012–2014A.F.C. Leopards
2014–AmaZulu
National team‡
2011–Kenya17(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 July 2014.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 11 July 2013

Paul Were (born 8 January 1991) is a Kenyan footballer who currently plays for AmaZulu in the South African Premier Division. He joined the club in July 2014 after spending two seasons at A.F.C. Leopards in the Kenyan Premier League. He has also played for the Kenya national team, last appearing for the Harambee Stars in their 2–1 loss to Botswana at the 2013 COSAFA Cup.

Club career

Kenyan Premier League

On 29 January 2010, Were joined Tusker from Mathare Youth ahead of the 2010 season.[1] Spending two and a half seasons at the club, he helped the side win the Premier League title in 2011.

Halfway through Tusker's second consecutive title winning season, Were left the Brewers to join A.F.C. Leopards on 6 June 2012 on a one-year contract.[2] He was named Man of the Match on his debut for Ingwe on 27 June, despite being substituted in the 75th minute by skipper Martin Imbalambala, putting in an outstanding performance that included an assist for Allan Wanga, who scored the only goal of the game against Sofapaka to earn his side all 3 points.[3][4] The following season, Were played 55 minutes before coming off for Oscar Kadenge to help his side clinch their 9th President's Cup title.[5]

On 10 February 2014, rumours of Were leaving for trials with an unnamed South African clubs began to surface.[6] Four days later, it was reported that he was to trial with Premier Soccer League side Bidvest Wits, and consequently would not play in A.F.C. Leopards' CAF Confederation Cup second leg match away to Ethiopian side Defence, against whom he provided two assists to give his side the advantage ahead of the game on 9 February.[7][8] He finished a five-day trial period with the Clever Boys on 21 February before returning to Ingwe for their Confederation Cup first round tie against SuperSport United. News involving two unnamed PSL clubs expressing an interest in signing Were also surfaced.[9][10]

On 23 February, Were made his first Premier League appearance of the season for A.F.C. Leopards since returning from South Africa in a barren draw against Ulinzi Stars at the Nyayo National Stadium. However, it was reported that the Bidvest Wits continued to monitor the winger during the course of the season.[11][12][13][14]

AmaZulu

On 16 July 2014, Were signed a three-year contract with AmaZulu in the South African Premier Division ahead of the 2014–15 season.[15][16]

International career

Were earned his first call-up to the Kenya national team for an international friendly against South Africa on 9 February 2011.[17] He made his senior international debut for the Harambee Stars as a substitute for Victor Wanyama, but could not help his side prevent a 2–0 loss to Bafana Bafana at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg.[18] He was also part of the squad that finished in second place at the 2012 CECAFA Cup, providing Edwin Lavatsa with an assist to level the scores at 1–1 in the final. However, he could not help his side stop Geoffrey Kizito's match-winning header only three minutes later.[19]

On 6 February 2013, Were scored his first goal for his country in the 80th minute of an international friendly against Libya, sealing a 3–0 win for his side at the Stade Chedli Zouiten in Tunis, Tunisia.[20]

International goals

Source: National-Football-Teams.com[21]

References

  1. ↑ Patrick Korir (29 January 2010). "Shikokoti back at Tusker". Futaa.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  2. ↑ Rodgers Eshitemi (6 June 2012). "Confirmed: AFC sign two players". Futaa.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  3. ↑ Patrick Korir (27 June 2012). "Ingwe bites off batoto ba Mungu". Futaa.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  4. ↑ Patrick Korir (27 June 2012). "New boy at Ingwe named MVP against Sofapaka". Futaa.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  5. ↑ Wilson Mathu (17 November 2013). "GOtv Shield: AFC Leopards are 2013 Champions". Futaa.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  6. ↑ Vincent Opiyo (10 February 2014). "Paul Were to jet out for trials". Futaa.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  7. ↑ Jeff Kinyanjui (9 February 2014). "Ingwe ease past Defense SC". Futaa.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  8. ↑ Jeff Kinyanjui (14 February 2014). "Were hoping to impress in SA". Futaa.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  9. ↑ Jeff Kinyanjui (21 February 2014). "Paul Were wraps up Bidvest Wits trials". Futaa.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  10. ↑ Jeff Kinyanjui (22 February 2014). "Paul Were's demand rises in South Africa". Futaa.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  11. ↑ Wilson Mathu (23 February 2014). "Were, Pinches start for AFC against Ulinzi". Futaa.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  12. ↑ Mercy Njueh (23 February 2014). "Ingwe yet to register a win in 2014 KPL". Futaa.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  13. ↑ Jeff Kinyanjui (25 February 2014). "Wits keeping tabs on Paul Were". Futaa.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  14. ↑ Jeff Kinyanjui (20 March 2014). "Wits still monitoring Paul Were". Futaa.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  15. ↑ Mercy Njueh (18 July 2014). "Paul Were signs with AmaZulu". Futaa.com. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  16. ↑ Ernest Makhaya (19 July 2014). "AmaZulu snatch AFC Leopards winger Paul Were". Goal.com. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  17. ↑ Patrick Korir (6 February 2011). "SAFA names strong squad to face Harambee Stars". Futaa.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  18. ↑ John Munene (10 February 2011). "Kenya fall 2–0 to South Africa in friendly tie". Futaa.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  19. ↑ Rodgers Eshitemi (8 December 2012). "CECAFA 2012: Cranes beat Kenya to retain title". Futaa.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  20. ↑ Wilson Mathu (6 February 2013). "Harambee Stars smack Libya in friendly". Futaa.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  21. ↑ "International goals scored by Paul Were". National-Football-Teams.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.

External links