“Blackberry” now really showing shades of “Lule”
Back in March when we first posted this article, many fans disagreed. The club was not doing well and Blackberry was struggling to find his form. Now that Blackberry has regained the sparkling form that saw win several awards last season, perhaps some of you will change your mind ?
The year was 1979. And Nahashon Oluoch was a form six student at Highway secondary school. Gor Mahia had a strong unit that would later capture the imagination of the Kenyan public by reaching the final of the Africa cup winners cup and by winning the national league. It was a unit that had players like the legendary Allan Thigo, a midfield maestro per supreme, Andrew Obunga, a prolific goal scorer, Mike Ogolla “Machine”, John “Bobby” Ogolla, no doubt the best stopper ever to play in Kenya and another rising super nova by the name of Sammy Owino, who was nick named “Kempes”.
Nahashon Oluoch was nicknamed “Lule” after the Ugandan president at the time. The Kenyan press dubbed him the school boy wonderboy. To this day, Kenyans still think he is the best left winger Kenya has ever seen. Lule was named one of the top 10 players on the continent in 1979 by CAF. Amazing considering he was still a secondary school student.
In watching George Odhiambo “Blackberry” over the past year or so, one sees many similarities. Both are attackers who operate primarily on the left wing. Both are excellent dribblers capable of slicing defenses with their mazy footwork. Both score frequently was evidenced by Blackberry finishing among the league’s leading scorers. And both have captured the imagination of the public by making it into the national team while still in secondary school.
Blackberry has a while to go before he can fully catch up with the exploits of Lule. Not only did Lule help steer the club to the Africa cup winners cup final, but he was also named as one of the top 10 African players in 1979, quite a feat for a youngster still in secondary school. A month later, at the CECAFA club cup final in Blantyre Malawi, he scored the winning goal as Gor Mahia beat arch rivals AFC Leopards in an all Kenyan final to lift the cup. But blackberry shall get their with hard work.
Lule and compatriot Sammy Owino Kempes left for the USA on football scholarships in 1982, breaking the hearts of Kogalo supporters who nevertheless wished them well. They joined Alabama A&M University. In 1984 with Lule and Kempes in their roster, Alabama A&M was ranked the top college team in the United states.
Kogalo fans will be hoping that Blackberry can help steer the club to greater heights and restore the club back to its mighty heights. Kenyan fans will be hoping that Blackberry can join a top tier club in Europe where he can showcase his playing skills.
TIME WILL TELL…I HOPE HE WONT DISAPPOINT LIKE OLIECH.
black-berry is fantastic and with hardwork he can be the next lionel,but lets wait and see..
i wish him all the very best in his career
He is a good dribbler but he always dribbles off target,He should always dribbles in to the box,why should you use more energy in dribbling then delivery nil.He should know when to dribble and when to give a pass.A good striker should score goals not dribbles.So Odhiambo should be benched if he cant score we have got able strikers who can score.eg Makori,Langat,Ngwa,Owiti and Kevin.Lets Leave schoolboy type of footbal where you play with fans.For how long shall we be happy with dribbles without getting points?let the midfield do the dribbling to great space for strikers.Strikers should score.
Odhiambo must score goals,Agido must field players bassed on merit.Agido where is Makori .Dont bring friendship into the team.
I totally agree with Kongonda, Odhiambo (Odhis) should pull up his socks and start scoring goals or create chances for his team mates. Please Odhis be serious leave school boy football. Look at Musa he is fitting in well. Someone needs to lecture him on Discipline, Dedication and Deferring which will lead him to the big C = CONFIDENCE. Confidence means having the strength to believe that you can make it by having the mental determination to hang on when things are not going towards your way. Please Odhiambo change and change now.
Rombo and Oluoch are just talking northing to us they dont know the histry of GOR and Zedekia not to talk about Odhiambo is astriker to about Zedekia.Zedekia is taking GOR to nowhere;confirm.
Ahh!! Administrator, talking much of Blackberry is dangerous for the team. On Sunday the team played as a unit and they won, so do not bring us flash backs let’s forge ahead and give Gor the material and moral support.
Please Administrator come up with a constructive topic not sifa, it’s still early bado games 13. Congratulations GOR MAHIA AS A PLAYING UNIT, all of you muko superb.
You are right Oti.Let Odhis play his game.Let him play the game he is comfortable with.That is why we are winning!Heko Gor, play on!
This is an excellent article in honor of a true Kogalo legend, Nahashon Oluoch “Lule”. Vijana wa siku hizi must know that Kogalo produced legends in the past. Legends who were known all over Africa, so that they may strive to reach such levels. It is only Lule, Peter Dawo, Ayoyi and Madegwa who have been nominated for African footballer of the year. Even the Oliech and Marigas of today arent at that level. But these vijana vijana can reach that level if they continue to work hard. I am seeing good signs.
Joe Riaga I like you comment on being on the topic, and secondly challenging the current generation of players… They luck perseverance.
But the author need to dig more about LULE rather than dwelling black berry. Kindly admin review LULE’S record, it has volumes. You never mentioned how the chorus of LULE! LULE!LULE………came to be sang, such are the phrases that current fans could find sumptuous and need to know more about the player. Also with time admin need to review such stories as one would wish to know where about of such great players and what
keep them busy.
It is good to give credit where it is due. I want to tell
Kogonda and Oti Oluoch with much love though, that in modern day soccer, we need a striker who can take on defenders and bit them, not merely score!! Odhiambo has proven that he can take on defenders, beat them and score.Its quite unfortunate if you tell a young player who is trying to make his way that he is playing school boy football. Against Tusker, he beat three defenders, all the way from midfield and scored, against Posta Rangers, he did the same and scored. Against Chemelil Sugar, he scored a brace. What more would you want from such a young talent? In just his second season in KPL, Odhiambo has proved to be an exceptional talent and there is no doubt about that. Its not sifa but motivating the players to do even more. Check on the websites of other great clubs in the world and tell me if they dont highlight their performing players!!! Let us continue to encourage our players whenever they perform and encourage them whenever they dont. Then we will go far!!! I will be proud when a player dons Real Madrid jersey and I say , “That one was from Mighty Kogalo”
Eric o a striker needs not to be good at dribbling the ball, the aim is to hit the target as in many attempts as possible. from international football most strikers dont dribble they score goals an example of Drogba, Raul,Rooney etc that is wat counts as a good striker. Dont forget Torres is a good player but due to lack of goals during the world cup his coach was contemplating on putting him on bench to give way to other strikers who could give goals. Blackberry should strive into that if he hopes for a chance to play internationally as a striker.
Blackberry ni kiboko yao
Am always entertained by blackberry, i wish he stays longer in gor…
Yes blackberry is a star and he should keep a level head longer to be able to actualize his potential fully.However if you look keenly you would notice equal talents in Kevin Omondi, Antony Akumu and Musa Mohamed, they are all stars.Lets appreciate all and all the players deserve undivided applause since at the end of it all soccer is a team game.You need the hustler in Ngwa and Makori, the robust no-nonsense defending of Awilo and Ongwae, the cool non chalance of Ocholla and Opiyo in midfield, you need everybody.
Keep it burning boys and go get it.
Ja Thur gi ji you have summed it all “all the players deserve undivided applause”. Thank you!!
may god bless the boy to be like others outside the world so that kenya should be known not only in athletes but also in football i love BB and may god raise him higher and higher
I’m in agreement with what was expressed by Ja Thur gi ji sentiments. However a point of correction to Kogonda and Oti Oluoch, Please give credit to where it is due. You do not support the team or encourage players by saying school boy tactics. This is a wrong mentality that must be stopped. You do not encourage players by belittling their performance. Use some encouragement or motivational words such as there is room for further improvement. Guys note that many fans and players are reading or hitting this website. Mind about what you post in this site.
Am terribly dissappointed by what Kongonda said earlier in march. Does it mean since Messy did not score at the world cup he was playing schoolboy football Noooooooooo! Remember Rooney as of now goal drought. A good striker should be able to draw defenders to himself to creat opportunities for others which Berry does. He has managed to score still. Lets encourage the lad. I have seen he has great character which is humility. Berry if you are reading this know that God blesses a humble heart. Just work hard, be humble and you will prosper the rest are distractions.
People like Kongonda are posting comments which are not going into a long way in helping the club and players. I think this is the time for fans to stand up and be counted.
That should not be a topic,let’s focus on our crunch tie with the soldiers,a win will prove something
To me; I generally like his game although there are mistakes here and there which is normal but has to be rectified otherwise he should concentrate on his game and always work as a team. Please admin. it is also good to talk about other players as Gor is a team but not an individual remember, a tree can’t make a forest; Keep it up and I expect to read more of other players and again there is repetition on your story of which you have to work on it. Be blessed and God bless Kogalo to win the league.
Blackberry can still make it to the european league when he stops being selfish and pass the ball to the one in a better position to score.
…n this is the era of LAVATSA,ODERA,MOSES ODHIAMBO,MAKORI and company.watch ’em play
Nahashon Luoch was in Form 6 in 1980 at Highway Sec School, get your facts right.