Gebremedhin Haile set to continue at Mekelle
Gebremedhin Haile who reportedly issued a resignation letter a few days ago is set continue in his post after the club officials agreed on fulfilling the pre-conditions set by the coach.
Back to back premier league champion Gebremedhin Haile was on the exit door shortly in the aftermath of their shocking exit from preliminary round of CAF champions league, Gebremedhin who spoke to Soccer Ethiopia about the issue was quoted “I have asked the club officials about several issues which need to be resolved, the club was willing to meet my preconditions so am ready to carry on.”
Also, Geberemedhin said that they are working on landing some players and pledged that next year will also be a year of joy for their supporters.
Okiki Afolabi ready to reunite with Geberemdhin Haile
Mekelle 70 Enderta after their early exit from the CAF champions league seem to have learned a lesson the hard way as they are currently working on purchasing some players to improve their squad, yesterday they announced that the 2017/18 Ethiopian premier league goal king Okiki Afolabi is on his way to join the reigning Ethiopia premier league champions.
Okiki who left Ethiopia at the beginning of last season to join Egypt’s premier side Ismaily SC but life in Egypt was very hard for the Nigerian as he once again rejoin Jimma Aba Jiffar after his dreadful spell in Egypt, In his 6 month spell in Jimma he netted 6 goals, but after the conclusion of last season he sued his former club for failing to pay his salary on time.
Okiki is Mekelle 70 Enderta’s 4th summer signing after Alhassen Kalusha, Ephream Ashamo, and Tafesse Serka.
Okiki, previously worked with Gebremedhin Haile in their title-winning season netting 23 goals is expected to give another dimension to Mekelle’s frontline that heavily relied on Amanuel G/Micheal for the past few years.
Work on progress for DireDawa Kenema after an exodus of squad players
Diredawa who were seen to be very shy in the summer transfer window after remarkable summer transfer window were an exodus of squad players was loom.
Diredawa, unlike previous summer transfer windows, had a quiet transfer window in terms of arrival of new players. But finally this week the team announced 4 new players after the incursion of squad players by other teams and is expected to announce other acquisitions soon
The midfielders Walelege Gebre, Amanuel Teshome and defenders Zerihun Anshebo, Zecharias Tuji are the very first signings for Diredawa this summer.
Zecharias Tuji who was a free agent last season will be returning to competitive football after penning a one year with Eastern Ethiopia side, In a recent interview with Soccer Ethiopia Zecharias disclosed that he is very desperate to return to the pitch and is ready to reignite his football carrier, meanwhile Zerihun Anshebo is also on his way to reunite with his former teammates after a year spent at the newly relegated Debub Police.
Awot G/Micheal is Sehul Shire 5th signing
The former Ethio Electric and Jimma Aba Jiffar pacy right-back are on his way to join Sehul Shire. Awot who was brought through Ethio Electric’s youth rank was an influential player to the club in his 6 years spell there.
Awot will face a stiff challenge to be a regular starter with Abduselam Aman who recently extended his contract for another year, in the meantime Sehul Shire have also begun their preparation for the new season on Monday at Mekelle.
Felipe Ovono at the Exit door?
Equatorial Guinea and former Orlando Pirates goalie Felipe Ovono who had a successful 2 years spell with Mekelle 70 Enderta is speculated to be at the exit door from the reigning Ethiopian premier league champions with his destination expected to be settled soon.
Soccer Ethiopia’s best goalkeeper of the season for 2018/19 premier league campaign, Ovono guided his side to leave their maiden crown, in a recent interview with the South African based “Kick-Off” website Ovono was quoted
“Obviously I miss South Africa, The PSL is the best league in Africa and it was my first time to play like a professional. I know I didn’t stay the way I wanted but I think after playing in another country and getting more experience, I am ready to go back and work even harder.
“There have been interests from other teams including St George in Ethiopia. I still have to decide my future but I will not rule out any chance of playing in South Africa again.”
Ethiopia Bunna sign two more players
Ethiopia Bunna had a busy day in office the past week as they sign 2 more players, Goalkeeper Bereket Amare and outside right forward Abel Kebede are the latest acquisition.
Bereket Amare who was a revelation in Welwalo’s Higher league triumph has made it to Soccer Ethiopia’s Higher league team of the season in 2016/17, the goalkeeper is struggling to get sufficient playing time’s after serving 6 month’s suspension for alleged participation in the famous referring attack incident in 2010. Bereket Amare is the second summer recruit after Teklemariam Shanko from Hawassa Kenema.
Meanwhile, Abel Kebede who was brought up through Mekelakeya’s youth ranks has spent the last 4 months of the season on loan at the higher league side Woldia, Ethiopia Bunna who are set to build from the scratch will expect a lot from Abel and his co recruited from the Higher League.
Nothing stopping Wolwalo’s spending spree
Wolwalo continued in their spending spree, recently finalizing the deals for 3 new players making their tally to 16 new summer signings.
Brought up in the clubs youth ranks Teame Woldekiros and Kibrom Zeru had a very successful spell with Soloda Adwa and were instrumental in the teams’ promotion to the Ethiopian Higher league and also Carlos Damtew who had a successful spell with Jimma Aba Bunna also decide to rejoin his former trainer.
Meanwhile, 5 players have been promoted to the senior side, Massive squad overhaul proved a doomed experiment for most clubs abroad but that is not the case here, with Welwalo’s blindly ambitious plan of becoming among the league’s title contenders, how will they fair the upcoming season remains to be seen.
Deadline day move for Ismael Watenga
The 25-year-old former Vipers and Ethiopia Bunna goalie Ismael Watenga whose contract has been ended prematurely with Ethiopia Bunn last July secured a deadline move to Kenyan premier side Sofapaka keeping him in Kenya for the coming 3 years.
Watenga who joined Ethiopia Bunna on a two-year deal from Vipers has impressed in the annual Addis Ababa city pre-season cup but failed to replicate that fine form on the league and eventually ended up being dropped from the starting 11.
Mekelakeya maintaining their shaky backline
Mekelakeya who were technically relegated from the Ethiopian premier league is working on landing new players to boost their team, especially to reinforce the shaky defense which conceded the highest goal last season, now Desta Yohannes and Antneh Tesfaye penned a two year deal with Mekelakeya to strengthen the new looking Mekelakeya’s backline.
The left-back Desta Yohannes has been acquired from Hawassa Kenema, he developed himself from the clubs development team to being the captain of the senior side in his four-year spell there. Also, Antneh Tesfaye, a powerful center back would prove to be key in reinforcing the shaky Mekelakeya Defense.
Solomon Wodesa is heading north
Newly appointed Bahirdar Kenema head coach Fasil Tekalege currently in his first-ever head coach role is working on landing new players for his new side, this time out the midfielder Solomon Wodesa who previously agreed to join Wolaita Dicha has opted to join the Northern Ethiopia side on a two-year deal.
© Soccer Ethiopia
