Harambee Stars midfielder Timothy Ouma will not be joining Lech Poznań on their winter training camp in Abu Dhabi.
This is after the club revealed that a breach of team discipline was the reason for his exclusion.
The Polish topflight side announced the squad for their preparatory trip to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, but Ouma’s name was notably missing from the list of players travelling.
Lech Poznań’s two-week training camp in Abu Dhabi scheduled from 11-25 January 2026 is part of the club’s preparation for the second half of the PKO BP Ekstraklasa season.
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Why was Timothy Ouma dropped over indiscipline at Lech Poznań?
During the camp, Lech are expected to play several friendly matches and focus on sharpening their tactical and physical attributes ahead of their league return later this month.
Head coach Niels Frederiksen addressed Ouma’s absence in the club’s official announcement, making clear that the decision was based on internal team standards.
“Timothy behaved in a way that was not in line with the rules within the team, which is why we decided not to include him in the squad for the Abu Dhabi camp.
He will remain in the country and prepare for the spring round with the reserves, and only his attitude will determine his future with our first team,” Frederiksen said.
While the club did not detail every aspect of the disciplinary issue in their official statement, reports in Polish media suggest that Ouma’s exclusion was linked to repeated instances of arriving late back at the club following a break and failing to communicate promptly with team officials, behaviour viewed by the coaching staff as inconsistent with Lech’s professional standards.
Despite the high-profile absence, Lech Poznań will take a strong squad of 31 players to Abu Dhabi.
The travelling group includes the newly signed goalkeeper Plamen Andreev, a number of first-team regulars, and several promising youngsters from the club’s academy.
However, Ouma is not the only player missing out on the trip. The club has also granted permission for a trio of squad members to remain in Poland as they seek new clubs during the January transfer window – Ian Hofmann, Bryan Fiabema, and Krzysztof Bąkowsk – all of whom are training with Lech’s secondary team while they look for moves elsewhere.
Additionally, defender Kornel Lisman will miss the Abu Dhabi camp due to injury and will remain in Poznań to continue his rehabilitation.
For Ouma, the decision represents a significant setback in what has been a challenging spell at Lech.
The Kenyan midfielder, who joined the club on loan from Slavia Prague in the summer, has featured regularly in the Polish top flight but has struggled at times to consistently impress.
His future with the Ekstraklasa champions now hinges on his conduct and performance in training back in Poland.
For Lech Poznań, the Abu Dhabi camp offers a vital opportunity to build momentum ahead of their return to domestic league action, continuing their pursuit of success in one of Eastern Europe’s most competitive competitions.
