Ibrahim Shambi’s football story is set to hit a new chapter, with his call up to the senior national team, Harambee Stars, ahead of the African Nations Championships (CHAN) 2020 qualifiers, which come right after the 2019 African Cup of Nations.
The midfielder has played for the Kenya U20 national team and most recently the U23 side and says the senior team call is a big psychological boost and passes a massive statement as regards his growth.
While he terms it massive, he notes that it only serves to jolt him to working harder, and as he gets to mingle with much-established players, he is keen on learning and trying to be a better player.
“I think the call up shows the trust the coaches have in me, which is good, and more importantly it is a big psychological boost for me to do what I have been doing, while at the same time trying to get better at it.
“I have been at the U20 and U23 teams and this is a new step for me. It signifies growth and the start of a new challenge. The response I can give here is to work harder to not only be a better player but also help the national team, and my team, Ulinzi Stars,” he told Ulinzi Stars official portal.
Shambi, who skippered the 2016 April KPL U20 title winning Ulinzi Stars side is keen on seeing the team finish the season on a high and having resumed training after injury, is expected to be in the team for the game against Chemelil Sugar on Sunday 19th May.
“We have not picked the results we desired in the past few matches and generally, the season has been tough on us but I think we can salvage something from it. We want to finish strongly in the remaining games and see where we get,” he added.