courtesy of futaa.com
Gor Mahia vice chairman Faiz Ochieng has responded to the earlier complaint by Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Mr. Cleophas Shimanyula over what he termed illegal approach of Haron Shakava by saying the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions will follow the right channel to sign him once he gets the technical team’s approval.
The matter is threatening to strain the two clubs’ relations after Shimanyula claimed the earlier signing of Paul Odhiambo was as well not subjected to the due process but speaking on the Shakava issue, Faiz says the Kakamega side should not be bent on denying the player a chance to stay in the top flight following the club’s relegation.
Happened before
-We know the rules and we will follow due process when the technical team tells us this is the player they want so people should stop complaining. It has happened to us too before that a player wants to leave but the club still needs him and to Homeboyz this is a case that we should agree to disagree.
-It is not like we are fighting with Homeboyz for the boy because first, if there is a move it will be for the player’s interest and secondly Homeboyz are not in the league so we are not in competition with them. The player is too talented to be playing in the second tier and we are trying to offer him a chance, which I believe Homeboyz should be happy at, he told futaa.com.
Why Gor Mahia
-We have seen players move to other clubs in this transfer period; why is it that when Gor Mahia makes a move everyone is complaining? He wondered.
Shimanyula was particularly angered by the fact that Shakava was fielded as Gor Mahia played Western Stima in a friendly match in Kisumu on Saturday 28 December.
Repeat occurrence
Speaking to futaa.com, an infuriated Shimanyula said Rachier, a renowned lawyer should know better and added that it is not the first time Gor Mahia is doing that to Homeboyz, pointing to the earlier transfer of Paul Odhiambo to the KPL champs.
-Gor Mahia has once again gone against the rules in their approach of Shakava. This player is under contract with us up to 2018 but even without approaching us, Gor Mahia went on to use him in their friendly match on Saturday.
Stern action
-This is not we expect from someone like Rachier, a senior lawyer as well as the KPL chairman. They did this with Paul Odhiambo and we forgave them but this time round we want the KPL and FKF to take stern action because rules regarding player transfers are very clear.
On the player, Shimanyula said he faces punishment at club level once the team resumes training.
Punishment
-What he did was a breach of contract; it was contrary to what he signed to abide by and, yes, he will be punished. We are very clear on that in the player contracts and as for him once we resume he will be reprimanded, he said.
In the said friendly match, Gor Mahia won by a goal courtesy of former Homeboyz player Paul Odhiambo.