Full name Paul Were Ooko 0000–2009 Mathare Youth Place of birth Kenya Name Paul Were | Playing position Role Footballer Number 29 Career start 2009 | |
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Date of birth (1991-01-08) 8 January 1991 (age 24) Current teams AEL Kalloni F.C. (#29 / Forward), Kenya national football team (Midfielder) | ||
Paul Were Ooko ([ˈwɛrɛ]; born 8 October 1993) is a Kenyan footballer,currently a free agent.
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Kenyan Premier League
On 29 January 2010, Were joined Tusker from Mathare Youth ahead of the 2010 season. 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. 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. The following season, Were played 55 minutes before coming off for Oscar Kadenge to help his side clinch their 9th President's Cup title.
On 10 February 2014, rumours of Were leaving for trials with an unnamed South African clubs began to surface. 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. 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.
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.
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. In the aftermath of their relegation from the South African top flight, Were terminated his contract in June 2015 after only one season with the club.
Kalloni
On 20 August 2015, it was announced that Were signed a contract for Superleague Greece side Kalloni. The length of the contract was undisclosed.
Denizlispor S.C
On 7 August 2016, Were joined Turkish side Denizilspor Fc on a one year deal
International career
Were earned his first call-up to the Kenya national team for an international friendly against South Africa on 9 February 2011. 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. 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.
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.
International goals
Scores and results list Kenya's goal tally first.Source: National-Football-Teams.com