Update: Austin Odhiambo denies plans to leave AFC
Midfielder Austin Odhiambo who was reported to be leaving AFC Leopards has now told goal.com that he is not leaving.
“I have had rumours going around that I have left AFC Leopards for Gor Mahia and I want to state here categorically that I have not done so,” Odhiambo told the club’s TV.”
Original Story
Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards are locked in a tussle over Austin Odhiambo
Additional reporting from the Nation
AFC Leopards talented midfielder Austin Odhiambo has confirmed that he is on his way to join Kenyan Premier League champions Gor Mahia.
The 20-year-old Odhiambo, who rose to the senior team from Ingwe’s Under 20 youth team, confirmed that he has been in contact with K’Ogalo management for a possible move before the 2020/21 season kicks off.
UNPAID SALARY
The central versatile midfielder said that he is willing to move to K’Ogalo and not see through his contract which Leopards team manager Tom Juma confirmed ends in three years’ time. Odhiambo, though, insists it ends next year.
“This young players were tied to long-term contracts and if Gor Mahia are interested in signing him then they will have to buy the contract. To move or to stay is his personal decision,” said Juma, a former Harambee Stars player.
Odhiambo cited unpaid salary, saying missing three months pay lawfully means he can move to another team.
“AFC Leopards owe me a lot of money and unless they pay me my dues, I won’t be playing for them next season. I’m ready to end the contract and move to Gor Mahia because even the officials have been silent yet I have raised the issue of payment with them,” the former Baba Dogo United striker told Nairobi News.
NEGOTIATIONS
“I have already began negotiations with Gor and I hope the logistics will end before the new season starts. Am only ready to play for Leopards if they settle all my dues and assure me I will be paid on time in future,” he added.
Pressed on why move to Gor Mahia, yet K’Ogalo, just like Ingwe, have had similar financial challenges since the exit of SportPesa, Odhiambo said with the sponsorship from various stakeholders coming on board, his future in K’Ogalo colours is bright.
The youngster has been praised for his partnership in the central midfield role with lethal striker Vincent Oburu. The duo have been instrumental in ensuring Ingwe are sixth on the KPL log.
He was also a perfect replacement for Whyvone Isuza who moved to money bags Wazito during the January transfer window.
At Gor Mahia he will be a replacement for Kenneth Muguna who has already shown his desire to leave the club.
Austin is indeed a good player , I dont know about the two who were mentioned in the previous article but in my opinion , good player or not are retail issues that mask a more fundamental wholesale issue , and that is that Gor Mahia’s recruitment policy is fatally flawed and totally out of sync with our status in the food chain of global football business e.g Ajax Amsterdam, Sporting Lisbon , Benfica etc have understood and accepted the fact that they are and in the forseeable future remain a buying and selling club , one amongst many being Bruno Fernandes from Sporting to Man U or Frank De Jong from Ajax to Barca etc etc .
Now fast backward to Gor Mahia , our recruitment policy must cease from the way it is now of burning millions of shilling on expensive short term contracts and sign on fees on players in their late twenties who either run down their contracts or because of age , their resale value brings no quantitative return on investment .
Our player investment /recruitment policy must mirror the hitherto mentioned European clubs and have scouts in all the football granaries in the country and in this country they dont exceed three regions and on top of that invest in these scouts having a pulse on all the football activities going on in the targetted counties , once a player is identified and his worth prooved , the national office would then sign the player .take care of his school bills plus overheads and since he is in school , loan him to a competitive club within his sarrounding e.g with this model , Omalla would be a Gor player on loan to Western Stima , we would be having a player/s in Migori utd , Bondo whatever fc , Homabay whatever , Jasego fc , Jamiriambo fc etc etc , young prooven players we would then nature and sell , this is more econimically viable , cheaper and more long term than the transactional corrupt practices we are currently employing .
We , the fans must accept one sad fact though , that any brilliant player who in the near future joins Gor will LEAVE , the issue then becomes , is his leaving value for money if one quantifies his sign on fee , salaries , bonuses etc , this is/must be the future with the incoming dispensation , but this must have a buy in and patience from fans long conditioned to expect instant results , some short term pain must be expected and accepted because this will be a foundational rebuild , meaning that for a while ,we shall have no roof and be exposed to the vagaries of the weather , Germany on their way to winning the world cup had to withstand serious humiliation in the previous world cup , proof that there is no shortcut to success and definitely no path to success without a plan .
I totally concur with you ?% on this youth strategy.
We need such innovative, cost effective and practical/efficient ideas to run the club.
That’s why it’s perplexing when an official of a certain supporters fund and aspiring treasurer pushes for the payment a 40 member youth team where she isn’t a treasurer. If elected treasurer won’t they simply transfer their transactional corrupt practices from Augmentin to the club proper.
Upto now we’ve not had of any youth player worthy of promotion to the senior team. We seem to be recruited from outside the youth system.
Why is there nil transition from youth to senior team, am not referring to the Cinderella players.
Please EC don’t sign 40 players through your conmen agents, we only need 23-25 players (3 foreigners of exceptional talent) to reduce on wage bill and also competitive rotation. I used to come to camp toyoyo and some players signed last season only job was to galivant the estates with kogalo tracksuits and never to be seen on matchday. GET RID OF CONMEN AGENTS