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Paul Were Ooko (Kenyan English: [ˈwɛrɛ]; born 8 October 1993) is a Kenyan professional footballer who plays as a winger for Greek Football League club Egaleo and the Kenya national team.

Club career

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

On 7 August 2016, Were joined Turkish side Denizlispor 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.

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	6 February 2013	Stade Chedli Zouiten, Tunis	Libya	3–0	3–0	International friendly
2.	14 June 2015	Stade Omnisport Marien Ngouabi, Owando	Congo	1–0	1–1	2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
3.	15 November 2016	Moi International Sports Centre, Nairobi	Liberia	1–0	1–0	International friendly

Source: National-Football-Teams.com

References

1. Patrick Korir (29 January 2010). "Shikokoti back at Tusker". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
2. Rodgers Eshitemi (6 June 2012). "Confirmed: AFC sign two players". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
3. Patrick Korir (27 June 2012). "Ingwe bites off batoto ba Mungu". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
4. Patrick Korir (27 June 2012). "New boy at Ingwe named MVP against Sofapaka". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
5. Wilson Mathu (17 November 2013). "GOtv Shield: AFC Leopards are 2013 Champions". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 19 November 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
6. Vincent Opiyo (10 February 2014). "Paul Were to jet out for trials". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
7. Jeff Kinyanjui (9 February 2014). "Ingwe ease past Defense SC". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
8. Jeff Kinyanjui (14 February 2014). "Were hoping to impress in SA". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
9. Jeff Kinyanjui (21 February 2014). "Paul Were wraps up Bidvest Wits trials". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 24 February 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
10. Jeff Kinyanjui (22 February 2014). "Paul Were's demand rises in South Africa". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 25 February 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
11. Wilson Mathu (23 February 2014). "Were, Pinches start for AFC against Ulinzi". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
12. Mercy Njueh (23 February 2014). "Ingwe yet to register a win in 2014 KPL". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
13. Jeff Kinyanjui (25 February 2014). "Wits keeping tabs on Paul Were". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
14. Jeff Kinyanjui (20 March 2014). "Wits still monitoring Paul Were". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
15. Mercy Njueh (18 July 2014). "Paul Were signs with AmaZulu". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 20 July 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
16. Ernest Makhaya (19 July 2014). "AmaZulu snatch AFC Leopards winger Paul Were". Goal.com. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
17. Kevin Teya (9 June 2015). "Gor closing in on former Ingwe winger". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 12 July 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
18. "Were signs for Greece side AEL Kalloni". Goal.com. 20 August 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
19. Opiyo, Vincent. "BREAKING: Kenyan winger set to join Turkish side".
20. Patrick Korir (6 February 2011). "SAFA names strong squad to face Harambee Stars". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
21. John Munene (10 February 2011). "Kenya fall 2–0 to South Africa in friendly tie". Futaa.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
22. Rodgers Eshitemi (8 December 2012). "CECAFA 2012: Cranes beat Kenya to retain title". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 10 December 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
23. Wilson Mathu (6 February 2013). "Harambee Stars smack Libya in friendly". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
24. "International goals scored by Paul Were". National-Football-Teams.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014.

External links

• Paul Were at Soccerway
• http://www.soka.co.ke/search/paul%20were
• Paul Were at National-Football-Teams.com

v t e Kenya squad – 2019 Africa Cup of Nations
1 Shikalo 2 Okumu 3 Omar 4 Onyango 5 Mohammed 6 B. Ochieng 7 Masika 8 Omolo 9 Avire 10 Omondi 11 Kahata 12 Wanyama (C) 13 Otieno 14 Olunga 15 Owino 16 Were 17 Athuman 18 Matasi 19 O. Ochieng 20 Otieno 21 Odhiambo 22 Juma 23 Oyemba Coach: Migné

• 1991 births
• Living people
• Tusker F.C. players
• A.F.C. Leopards players
• AmaZulu F.C. players
• AEL Kalloni F.C. players
• Acharnaikos F.C. players
• Kalamata F.C. players
• FC Kaisar players
• Kenyan men's footballers
• Kenya men's international footballers
• Expatriate men's soccer players in South Africa
• Men's association football wingers
• 2019 Africa Cup of Nations players
• People from Rift Valley Province
• 21st-century Kenyan sportsmen