Strikers Francis Ouma, on trials at Italian Seria B side, Parma, and US-based Taiwo Atieno were both left behind. Ouma, who arrived on Wednesday morning from Italy, could not secure his visa in time while the United Kingdom-born Taiwo is yet to get his Kenyan travelling documents.
Other players who were dropped are midfielder Andrew Oyombe, who is nursing a hamstring injury, Anthony Kimani, Kevin Ochieng, Simon Mburu, Zachayo Kisekeli, Sammy Ochieng, David Okello and Abdul Latiff.
However, Football Kenya technical director, Patrick Naggi, who read out the team list on Wednesday, said the coach might recall the dropped players upon returning from Iran on Sunday.
The Harambee Stars are scheduled to play the friendly match with the Iranians as part of their build-up ahead of their 2010 World Cup qualifying match against Tunisia at Kasarani on March 28.
Hey, who seemed rather uncomfortable with the timing of the Tehran match, had something to smile about after the trip was brought forward by 24 hours with the team initially scheduled to travel on Thursday.
This will enable the players get enough time to relax and acclimatise before the game. “I see no reason why we have to travel the long way and get little time to rest before the match. We want to give our best and although it is too late to cancel the match, we will try and play to the best of our ability,” he said on Tuesday.
It is a similar script but read out by different actors as Hey’s predecessor, Francis Kimanzi, faced the same problem where he was hurriedly asked to come up with the line-up to play away in a friendly match against Egypt in Cairo in January.
Hey faces an acid test in guiding the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the African Nations Cup finals in Angola. Kenya are in Group Two, together with Tunisia, Nigeria and Mozambique.
Group winners will automatically qualify for the World Cup finals, while the best three teams head to Angola for the Africa Cup of Nations finals.
Hey, together with his assistant, Kemal Halat, have postponed the announcement of the other members of the technical bench until after they return from Iran.
Rizak Siwa has been assisting the two as the goalkeeping coach and together with doctor Wycliffe Makanga and manager Naggi, made the trip.
Kenyan passport
Football Kenya vice chairman Erustus Okul is the team’s head of delegation. The team will return on Sunday and head straight into camp as the Kenya Premier League has altered its fixtures to allow the local players engage in the national task.
Naggi confirmed that the players’ local and international allowances had been paid in full. He said he was optimistic that Taiwo would secure his documents in time to be involved in the Tunisia match.
“We have made forward steps in assisting him get a Kenyan passport. But it is not in our hands and we will wait and see. But I’m optimistic, he will be available for us. He has shown in training a few of his brilliant skills and the coach is impressed,” said Naggi.