Dennis Oguta Oliech (pronounced [ˈdɛnɪs oˈgutɑ olˈjetʃ] ⓘ; born 2 February 1985) is a Kenyan former professional footballer who played as a striker.
While in his youth career, Oliech went on trial with Ligue 1 side Marseille,[3] but Mathare United chairman Bob Munro blocked the move from happening.
[5] At age nineteen, Oliech was named by The Guardian newspaper as one of the world's most promising young players in a list which included future stars such as Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie.
[7] During the same year, Al-Arabi was told to pay US$15,000 compensation to his youth club by the Fifa's Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC), as the move to sign Oliech.
[13] Shortly after signing for Nantes, Oliech hadn't made a great start in France after a knee operation.
[16] Three weeks later, on 1 April 2006, Oliech scored his first goal, in the round of 16 in the Coupe de France to send them to the quarter-final, in a 1–0 win over Dijon.
In the summer transfer window, Oliech was signed on loan by Auxerre who were in need of goals after a bad start to their season.
[22] After making ten appearances so far in the 2007–08 season, Auxerre signed him on a permanent basis from Nantes in January and keeping him until 2011.
[24] He endured what were considered below-average seasons by most in the 2008–09 (scoring three goals in thirty three appearances in all competitions) and 2009–10 season (scoring four goals in thirty seven appearances in all competitions), as his form dropped badly, due to him making several match deciding errors and misjudgments.
[38] On 2 January 2019, 33-year-old Dennis Oliech agreed to a two-year contract with Kenyan giants Gor Mahia, becoming the highest paid footballer in the country at a fee of Kshs.350,000.
This decision came after officials from the Kenya Football Federation (KFF) failed to pay him US$1,700, money he claimed was owed to him.
[41] Days before that, Oliech injured his knee ahead of a 2006 World Cup qualifier,[8] but later revealed he quickly recovered from the minor injury.
[44] Most Kenyans believe Oliech's biggest match was against Cape Verd when he scored a last minute goal to allow Harambee Stars to qualify for AFCON Championship in 2004.
[47] In late 2005, a warrant of arrest was issued against Oliech after he failed to appear in court to answer to assault charges raised against him.