Timothy Ouma: Harambee Stars Midfielder to Miss West Ham Clash as Fitness Delays Continue

Charlton Athletic's Kenyan midfielder, Timothy Ouma, is set to miss this weekend's clash against West Ham as he continues to build up his fitness, according to manager Nathan Jones.

Nathan Jones has described the 22-year-old as a "work in progress," indicating that Ouma is not yet ready for the demands of the EFL Championship.

The manager's comments came ahead of the Addicks' match at the London Stadium on Saturday.

The head coach explained that Timothy Ouma's pre-season preparations were significantly delayed, preventing him from reaching the required fitness levels for first-team action.

"Ouma was fine the other day in the U21s," Jones stated, referencing the midfielder's 45-minute appearance for the club's U21 side against Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday. Ouma is currently on loan from Czech club Slavia Prague.

"The intensity of a Championship fixture and an U21s fixture are vastly different," Jones continued. "He has hardly trained and had visa issues early on. That wait prolonged us from being able to bring him back over from Kenya, so he has missed a lot of pre-season, and we are building him up. It is a work in progress."

Reports from the U21 match noted that Ouma appeared comfortable in possession, despite one misplaced pass that led to a counter-attack.

However, based on his manager's assessment, the young Kenyan will likely be watching from the stands again, having also missed the season opener against Derby County.

In contrast, Ouma's compatriot, Collins Sichenje, is expected to be included in the squad travelling to face West Ham. Sichenje featured for the final five minutes of Charlton's 2-1 victory last weekend.

Looking ahead to the West Ham fixture, Jones acknowledged the challenge his team faces. "It's a wonderful game to test ourselves against a Premier League club, really. I know they came down, but everything about them is Premier League," he said.

"The stadium, the crowd, the finances...they have managed to keep the majority of their players and add, so arguably they are as strong as they were last year," Jones added.

"It’s a tough fixture, it’s great for the fans, it’s a short journey. We wanted to test ourselves; this is why we want to be in at least the Championship. Games like this... are what whet the appetite.”