AC Leopards train in Cameroon
Gor Mahia’s opponents in the 2015 CAF champions league AC Leopards, have been in Douala Cameroon playing friendly matches in readiness for their encounter with Kogalo.
During their stay in Cameroon, they played two friendly matches. In their first match they played against Apejes Mfou who finished 5th in the 2014 Cameroonian league. The match ended scoreless.
In the second match encounter, they beat 2014 Cameroon league runners up Cosmos de Bafia 1-0. The winning goal was scored by Ntela Kalema. It is worth noting that Cosmos de Bafia recently eliminated KCC of Uganda beating them 3-1 on aggregate.
According to Rémy Ayayos Ikounga the team president, the 10-day training tour of Cameroon was designed to enable the team to perform well in the Africa champions league. According to Ikounga, he is determined that the team must reach the semi-final stages of the champions league, something they failed to do in two attempts.
The team perspective is that they played very well during their two matches and their new signings have integrated into the team very well. Among the new signings include Michel Mvoundo, who was signed from Asec Mimosas of CIV, Nicaise Zimbori, signed from Camerounian champions Coton Sport of Garoua, Joel Babanda, signed from Etoile Douala, Tresor Mukenga , signed from CARA Brazzaville, Congolese Percy Akoli signed from Etoile Sahel of Tunisia and Ankira Dua signed from their arch rivals Diables Noires.
After their tour of Cameroon, AC Leopards flew to Pointe Noire before returning to their base in Dolisie.
AC Leopards will be desperate to keep the Congolese flag flying. All the other teams from Congo-Brazza were eliminated in the preliminary rounds. The other team from Congo-Brazza in the champions league, Diables Noires were pelted 6-2 by Raja Casablanca of Morocco. In the CAF confederations cup, Etoile Du Congo and CARA Brazaville were eliminated by MK Etancheite and AS Lome of Congo DRC and Togo respectively.
Who are AC Leopards
The team was formed in 1954. However until recently, they were not much of a factor in the Congolese scene. They won the league in 2012 and 2013 and were runners up in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
They won the CAF confederations cup in 2012. In 2013 they reached the group stages of the CAF champions league while in 2013 they lost in the second round to Al Hilal of Sudan.
The coach was previously the vastly experienced Belgian Patrick Aussems who played in the French top tier in the 1970s and has coached teams in France, West Africa and China since 1992. They are now coached by Lamine Ndiaye who coached the Senegal national team in 2008.
The team is based in Dolisie in the province of Niari hence their nickname: Fauves Niari.
Gor Mahia Pumped up
Defender Musa Mohamed is not too worried about the team’s poor defensive display in Madagascar. According to him, the team’s inability to master the poor conditions were to blame.
“It’s been raining heavily in Madagascar and so the surface of the playground was rather pathetic even without rains on the match day. CNAPS players know their pitch very well as opposed to us and they knew going for early goals would do it for them.
We took time to settle on the pitch and they were lucky to get those goals in the opening half. For a player to get used to such surface, one has to play several matches on it. You saw some of our players changing boots more than twice and that tells you something was not right with the surface,” he said to the club site.
Coach Frank Nuttall for his part is full of praise for the mental toughness shown by the players which enabled them to fight until the very end.
“It was an extremely tough match and from the first minute it was a hard work; I have to give credit to players because they managed to stick to the task after being mentality and physically strong.
“We underperformed in the first half but players realized at half time and true to their character they were able to react correctly and got the result that we needed. We hope to carry on the experience in our next match,” he said.
Nuttall also praised Collins Okoth who was making a return after his temper tantrum resulted in him being benched against Mathare United.
“Collins was suddenly fresh and I just felt that he would lift the midfield; Abondo is good he not only continues scoring goals but also helps motivate the team because his work rate is very high. His input in the second half was very good and he took some tough challenges so he is a tough boy,” Nuttall underscored.
Abondo who scored the lone goal in the first half has been instrumental to the team since rejoining at the beginning of the season from Tusker FC and hopes to maintain the tempo.
“The match was good though it was tough since we were away and the condition of the pitch was not good but its good we managed to get something. Its hard work that enables me to score and I thank God for the good form,” the attacker with six goals for Gor this season to his name said.
@Oduor12, we have heard all these proposals and criticisms year in and year out. It is only the election that can change composition of the EC and in this regard we have to wait for 2016 when Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held. Members including you and me have to be blamed for having proposed and passed a resolution to have bloated office at the EC level and we as fans can only undo this by the same members again passing resolutions to have 5 elected officials only that can include the:-
1. Chairman,
2. Deputy Chairman,
3. Secretary General,
4. Deputy SG and
5. Treasurer.
@Oduor12, have read the Sports Law outlawing clubs operating under the Society Act? I think this is where our problems started. The rain started beating us with this outdated Society Act. We have to adopt the new requirement by the Sports Act. It is now opportune time to adopt the change of the club into a limited liability company that in the long run should be listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) under the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) rules and regulations, which calls for full disclosures and accountability.
@Oduor12, we as members have veto power to change the constitution and incorporate a limited liability company by name Gor Mahia Investments Ltd with only seven elected directors with a full functioning secretariat office with salaried staffs whose terms and conditions of employment are guided by Key Performance Indicators (KPI) as stipulated by the club long term strategic plan that must be developed and owned by the board of directors. The full time salaried employees of the club have the following staffs:-
1. Chief Executive Officer,
2. Finance and Strategy Director,
3. Marketing & Membership Director,
4. Merchandising and Procurement Director and
5. Development Director (Academies and Recruitment)
Right now @Oduor12, let us focus our energies and brains on means and ways of raising the required funds for our clamour club to the team to participate in the Champion League 2015. Now it is not time of pulling in different directions but to pull our resources, energy and support towards one direction of beating AC Leopards. We need everyone support to conquer Africa and yes we can conquer Africa with one unity of purpose.
On long term sustainability, we have the fan base and I think the officials are not in better position to pursue aggressive membership and affiliations recruitment process. This can be done by the salaried secretariat that will bring different professional skills to achieve our long term objective of having 30,000-50,000 fully paid members of the club. The secretariat personnel will have performance indicators like KPI to achieve on Key Result Areas (KRA) as set by the board’s long term strategic plan. If they fail to achieve their KPIs, then there will be no bonuses as well as salaries review.
@Oduor12, once the task of fund raising is devolved to the secretariat, then the work in Gor Mahia will be very easy and the club will be liquid. At this point, we will be able to have our own stadium, training ground, proper youth systems, attract more professionals both at the secretariat and playing unit. This is the way to.
@Oduor12, board membership should comprise of professionals with good reputation and integrity to develop the club long term strategic plan. The strategic plan will be implemented by the secretariat personnel under the watchdog of the board sub-committees. This is what I call good corporate governance principles.
Secretariat personnel must achieve KPIs in order for the club to move forward. The role of shareholders, fans and supporters will be to:-
1. pay entry tickets,
2. purchase season tickets,
3. support the team during both home and away matches,
4. purchase club branded merchandises etc.
@Oduor12, the other unique option is the SACCO, which we had talked about in the past….please continue here.
Ozala Franco ozala Nuttall
Nalembi libalabala,
Sir Bobby John Ogola, SIr Bobby John Ogola,
Frank Ouna Mahiaaa…
Nabiso Candidate K’Ogalo Gor Mahia
Nabiso Candidate K’Ogalo Gor K’Ogalooo….
Bandeko ya siriseeee…….tiu…tiu…
Beilela beilela Gor Mahia K’Ogaaalo…….tiu..tiu..
Nabiso Candidate K’Ogalo Gor Mahia
Nabiso Candidate K’Ogalo Gor K’Ogalooo….
Hehe you made me laugh the way you play that guitar “tiu tiu”
Just like Franco used to play.
Good job on incorporating Gor Mahia into those lyrics.
But I think it is “Bandoki basili te” not “Bandeko ya siriseeee”
Congrats are in order for the wonderful performance against all odds. Majority of the fans didn’t trust the boys would knock out any team in CAF Champions League after the signing scandals.
Secondly, is still believe we need permanent solutions to these problems bedeviling the club like Finances, Hooliganism, Free Entry at the Gate, Bloated EC, Untapped potential of Fans and Members, Sponsorship and finally relation to FIFA and hence FKF.
I still stand by my belief and will not be swayed by recent performances that this club needs to be sold to a strategic investor. We must be practical and stop the culture of begging through every season. The team won 4 million for the league, collected a few millions in a harambee, got money from Supersport, got money from the President, gets money from KPL, continues to collect millions from the gates but we still need Peter Kenneth to save us.
Why can’t we ask soccer loving businessmen like Peter Kenneth to buy a stake when we privatize? Why can’t we privatize and define our true membership structure?
Without this direction i’m suggesting, we must be ready for a very long begging season. This is the same problem AFC is facing. The community clubs must be redefined in line with current realities or face collapse.
Let AC Leopards go where ever they can go, but as we maintain self belief and hard work that is being put in, we will face them head on. They may have a history in the African Continent but so do we. However, history is just what it is. K’0galo remain focused and adopt an attitude of the martial arts. When you releases a punch towards the object, you actually think of an object beyond the object you see and that gives a good hit. They have done it by suggesting that they are thinking of a semi final, Think beyond that. Chwo to Chwo te.
And what about mon? Kose moko chwopo (Gold Diggers) ka chwo? Lol.. Jaupanda be gender sensitive YAWA.!
Ooh Laa la..!! @ Jaupanda you have made my day..! Ati chwo to chwo te..! How about mon Jaupanda? Kose mon moko chwopo ka chwo?….GOLD DIGGERS. Anyway let K’Ogalo prepare well since “Kwach” en “Kwach” whether it is AFC LEOPARDS from Nabongo mumia or AC LEOPARDS from CONGO whatever. This are just cousin na wembe ni ule ule.
@Jaupanda you got it spot on, me also thinks that the problems that Gor is experiencing right now could be a blessing in disguise. For them we are not a threat according their statement, let them ask cynaps
AC LEOPARDS Must know that it requires alot of carefullness to kill the fly that perches on the scrotum,MAYIENGA is UNBWOGEBLE.
SHAME ON U MR.RACHIER.WHAT TANGIBLE THING HVE U DONE TO GOR SINCE THE FIRST DAY U CAME TO OFFICE.THESE TOO MANY OFFICIALS ARE OF WHAT FOR THE CLUB APART FROM CORRUPTING THE GATE CHARGES.REM I VOTED FOR U BCOZ U PROMISED THAT U WERE GOING TO GET A SPONSOR AND BUILD A STADIUM FOR THE CLUB.U HVNT FULFILLED ANY PLEDGE U MADE,KUMBE ADEDE COULD HAVE PERFORMED BETTER.PLZ USE THE MONEY THAT WERE TO BE USED IN CONSTRUCTING STADIUM TO PAY PLAYERS.REDUCE THE NUMBER OF OFFICIALS AND IMPLEMENT THE RIGISTRATION OF MEMBERS.RESPECT FANS VIEWS.
TO BE REALISTIC I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT GOR CANNOT,WILL NOT AND WILL NEVER GO PAST LEOPARDS.LETS STOP DAY DREAMING OR RELYING ON MAGICS TO HAPPEN.EXPECT HI FIVE.LET BET WITH ANYONE WITH ANY ONE WHO HVE DIFFERENT VIEW.I CANT BET MA MONEY ON GOR BUT I WILL RATHER BET ON LEOPARDS.AM STILL YOUNG AND THEFORE I DONT WANT TO BELIEVE ON SOMETHING THAT IS COMPLETELY IMPOSSIBLE.AM A DIE -HARD FAN BUT ON THIS ONE HAPANA,COMPLETELY IMPOSSIBLE.
END OF ROAD FOR GOR
Yes you are right. You are not only young in chronological age but also young in understanding this team you profess to support to death. To put it politely; sir I am afraid you are a little naive on matters of Gor Mahia. But who cares? In Gor we are ready to face any opposition and it does not mean the end of the road the way you put it or of life for that matter. If we don’t beat AC Leopards today then they should be worried because the beating we shall give them tomorrow will be in arrears.
@compressor, you are very narrow minded in your thoughts and level of understanding. Wait for election to continue bloating the office. I think you have psychiatric problems and in this regard whether Gor Mahia qualifies or go past AC Leopards there is now problem you prophet of doom. I remember you had predicted the same against CNaPS but we went through.
Will you swallow a razor blade this time around?
@Mwakio ati somebody is psychosis and thinking through the annals, you are really breaking ma ribs. Tel him why is It referred to as a game of unprectitability, this toddler is truly a prophet of doom
Compressor,stop worrying yourself.Kwani iko nini.Who tells you that tutashindwa?YOU HAVE VERY LITTLE FAITH IN TEAM KOGALO.Just wait and see.
@ Compressor, since in your conviction you know that Gor will never progress and since you are the greatest supporter of gor mahia I have come to respect, I suggest that you let us know what the team needs to do to go past AC. Because if they do then you will also be a happy man.
As i have read the history of AC Leopards I don’t think they are a hard nut to crack we as Kogalo has rich profile than them let’s assume they mashemeji n chapa them mercilessly