A take on Gor Mahia's transfer window so far and what next

DE_GUZMANN · 2013-12-28T10:17:48+00:00

This time two years ago, I threw banter at the Gor Mahia FC technical bench for botching the transfer season. The far I recall is that their script was fairly simple. The season ended, the then coach and his technical bench proceeded on leave. That left the clueless trio of George Bwana, David Kilo and Faiz Ochieng in-charge of the process. Dont laugh, these laymen were in charge of Gor Mahias technical matters. Then predictably the team embarks on a tour of Homa Bay and Karungu in South Nyanza for some strange reason. They play 14 matches in 14 days and in George Bwanas scheme of things this was great pre-season training. Soon after, the club would announce that they had identified some great talent and there was some recruitment and resultant changes. A man called Balotieno scores against Gor. He is unveiled by George Bwana as the next big thing in Kenyan soccer. Next to him is a fat man called Rodrigues. Unknown to many, he is a fisherman from Brazil. Hugo Nzoka, a musician of fame has also been drafted in the team. Not all is gloom, there is a good goalkeeper Zachary Onyango from Ethiopia coffee and some good players, Oscar Mbugua among them. Over the last 2 years Gor Mahia has played Russian roulette with its squad. Internationals Phillip Mapunda and Donald Mosoti are top players. They have gone to Simba for free. Oscar Mbugua, Itubu Imbem, Kevin Ochieng, Wycliffe Kasaya, Balotieno, Hugo Nzoka, David Otieno, Ivan Anguyo, Jakambare, Minai are just few of the players who effortlessly come to mind when you talk of former Gor players. Dont ask me why you dont recall some of these names. Its because GorMahia bought them and never gave them playing time. It is like a company hiring you and never getting you to work. Senseless as it sounds. This year the team is going continental. Their needs are clear as a crystal call. At left back three they need to recruit. A natural left back for that matter. David Owino Calabar has ably filled up this position by his sheer versatility. However, hed do better as a right back because of his ability to climb and decoy effectively. Mosoti has left a void. The team needs a stopper that matches his presence and zeal. What Mosoti lacked for in technique, he substituted with hard work. For me James Omino of Chemelil would have been a natural choice to succeed Mosoti. He is serious talent. He learnt the art of soccer young from his great dad and has proved to be his own man. Alternatively, they would have thought of Eugene Asike who to me is one of Kenyas best central defenders. Someone will say Sofapakas President Kalekwa overvalues his players. The last time Gor wanted a player he asked for 7 million. Believe me Kalekwa has some sense now. That very player would today go for free, two years down the line. Another area where Gor really has issues is in the deep midfield. They need box to box players who can hold the ball, distribute and take on one on one situations with ease. Young Teddy Akumu holds promise but he is a defensive midfielder in the mould of John Obi Mikel. He plays the same role like Eric Ochieng and Joseph Njuguna. That is ok when you are playing in the league but continental soccer is a different ball game. There no second chance. Only the best teams advance. Gor have a good and influential midfielder in Kevin Omondi. He is sharp and witty but could provide more value when left loose on the wing because of his ability to dribble close, dizzying dummies and generous assists. The coaches should ask him to keep eye on the goal. If he were to play with Paul Were in one team, it would be every defenders nightmare. Both wingers cut through defences like hot knife through cheese. With such an option, the coach would resort to typical wide wing play thats the bane of the English game. It is opposite of the closed defensive play favoured by most KPL teams with six pack defenses and the lone striker waiting for the loose ball that never seems to come . What Gor needs is an influential game changer like Mbwana Samata and Thomas Ulimwengu. They are few. If like me, you watched Paul Kiongera play an influential midfield role at the KCB then you know what am talking about. Here is a player who loves space. He can dribble and cut. He likes to come from the back. But his main strength is in darting runs and deadly set pieces. At Gor, he has been confined to a tiny corner on the wing. This is because Gor cuts off the middle supply and pushes the ball quickly up without build up.They are playing the game that Ireland and Scotland are famed for. For want of better options return Paul to his rightful position in the middle of the pack. We all saw that ugly clip where we lip read him pronounce unprintable epithets against a team mate. But that is water under the bridge. Pressures of competition. He must have learnt the value of team work. The object of his insults handled it like a professional. Came out looking the better person. Moses Odhiambo was an experienced playmaker who was extremely influential on that mid. True he was aging but isnt this the kind of guy any serious club develops for the technical bench? He proved time and again that he could be matched by few players in terms of class. The coaches thought otherwise. There is another untapped player we saw at Kakamega Homeboyz called Moses Mudavadi. To me hes great potential who is young and teachable. But you know the way of coaches. Sometimes they go for names. At last Chemelils deadly striker Jared Obwoge is at Gor. To me, Obwoge, SoNys Marwa Chamberi and Sofapaka's John Baraza complete the trio of Kenyas current greatest opportunists. They remind you of Italian Paul Rossi. You didnt see much of him but when you did, he was collecting the ball from behind the goalkeepers back. He joins an extremely competitive side but if he finds his scoring boots, not even Danny Sserunkuma will be assured of maximum play time. Every great striker suffers goal droughts. That is where Obwoge will provide an alternative. Not too stylish but an opponent youd hate to meet on his good day. He is a deadly assassin. Dan Walusimbis arrival at Gor would provide enough depth on the left Wing. Hopefully, it will also see the moment the coaches assist Edwin Lavatsa to stop trooping back too much and move upfront to do what he is employed to do. Unless Lavatsa improves his positioning he will remain Kenyas Welbeck. Running around too much, scoring little and always coming close. Not good enough for a lad who broke into Kenyas top club at 18. He must preserve his energy for the final dash inside the box. Lavatsa line of fallback should be up to the half way line as he is swift on the counter. As AFC Leopards. He has thrice counterattacked from that position and scored on all those counters. That should be his role. Walusimbi on the other hand is a ruthless defender with fine sense of positioning. When moving upfront along the line, he decoys as a winger . Some of his goals for Uganda Cranes are the envy of top strikers, and they are many. Time will tell if he will replicate that form at K'ogalo.

Thread starter DE_GUZMANN
Start date Dec 28, 2013

DE_GUZMANN

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A take on Gor Mahia's transfer window so far and what next

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