Gor Mahia rounding into form at the right time
The 2017 Kenya Premier League is now well into the second leg. There is no longer much room left for error. But as some of the early pace-setters like Posta Rangers, Ulinzi and Tusker continue to falter, Gor Mahia are in top form and in prime position to recapture the title they lost last season. Gor Mahia are six points clear of second placed Sofapaka with a game in hand. However they cannot relax because second placed Sofapaka are also in fine form.
Gor Mahia’s play is indeed much better than it was in the first leg under Brazilian tactician Ze Maria. One player whose form mirrors the renaissance is Rwandese midfielder “Migi” Mugiraneza. Signed in January from Azam, his seemingly poor form left many fans wondering if he should be released in the June transfer window. But since the arrival of coach Dylan Kerr, Migi has seen his form rise and he provided one of the assists on Saturday.
“I never lost my form, I was being played off position. All my life, even in the national team, I play the traditional number six, but Ze Maria insisted I play as a winger or at times behind strikers, I was never comfortable. I talked to him about it but he ended up denying me play time. Kerr understands me from my days at Azam when he was at Simba. I explained to him my situation at Gor when he came and he trusted me and deployed me in the midfield where I enjoy most playing. He is so far impressed with me. he told Soka25east.
George Odhiambo “Blackberry” who supplied one of the assists on Saturday has also seen a renaissance in his career that has seen him return to the national team while in an unexpected turn of events, new goalkeeper Peter Odhiambo is quickly emerging as the first choice keeper. His spectacular save of a penalty will only strengthen his claim to the starting line-up.
Impressively, Gor Mahia hammered Nzoia despite not having the services of key players: Karim Nizigiyimana, Philemon Otieno, Ernest Wendo and Godfrey Walusimbi. The latter was away playing for the Uganda Cranes against Egypt. Walusimbi, who has been consistent since he joined in 2014, was a target of KF Tirana according to Judith Nyangi.
“Yes, Walusimbi was contacted by Tirana, but he refused the offer opting to stay with us. As far as I am concerned, he is not going anywhere. His contract is expiring at the end of this season but no cause for alarm because that is his nature, we are optimistic,” said Nyangi to goal.com
Gate Collections
Club official Judith Nyangi announced Saturday’s gate collections as follows:
VIP sold 127 @ 500= 63,500
Terrace 1657 tickets @200= 331,400
Total gate collection= 394,400
She announced those numbers on her social media pages.
Yes Coach rotate this players massively without mercy so that complacency doesn’t set in with others believing they are indispensable. All positions have two equally good and competitive players as Innocent Wafula played right fullback as well as Karim does, Wellington also made missing Walusimbi impossible so we are good to go. Migi fight hard to reclaim the number 6 position as being a foreign signing and warming the bench at the same time attracts undue criticism. Sofapaka are really chasing us but nontheless we soldier on unpertubed, we await their faltering sooner rather than later. Finally Police/NTSA leave Sir Kerr alone please we need him focused on winning matches not bribing Joka Bimbe
Good to see the boys are listening to Sir Kerr. The goal numbers are improving and the hunger can be seen on all players including those who would have been fringe.
Congrats boys. Keep working.
I was at this match and to be honest l feel this number 1784 I’d way below the number ghat attended the match. Can you imagine a Gor Mahia match in Kisumu attracting less than 2000 people!!!!! Let us get serious here. Some people are not being honest. Next time I will come with my team and we will physically count those entering the stadium.
A paltry $394,000 was collected at the gates. At this rate I am not sure if they should bother taking games to Kisumu. And if officials are pocketing money and Rachier is silent then we are in trouble.
@ Le pastre, good to have you back !
I just like the man management style of this Coach .
The approach this coach has taken is that of how a professional coach should be and that is first to have first hand info on the contextual qualities of the personnel he has at his disposal , theirstrengths , their weaknesses , their potential and then use all these to create a synergy and chemistry that gels the team
Into one well oiled and efficient machine while at the same time communicating the same to the fan base and hence taking them along in the adventure .
With the benefit of time , we have started seeing results that are a result of deliberate and bold moves that all those coaches who come here solely for the money and hence the onlydesire to survive would not dare make .
The mere fact that the myth of invicibility and indespensibility has been smashed amongst the players means that from now going fwd , nobody will take the wearing of Gor mahia jersey for granted .
No matter how good u believe u r , that if u go for international duty , then u behave in an unprofessionalmanner thinking u r Indespensible must stop bcoz with or without u , at this rate , the team will perform , haven’t they not prooved so .
Now that one wing of Gor Mahia is firing on all cylinders , am a very worried man , bcoz its at these moments that the executive comes along to spoil the party like they have started by giving as vifaranga za kuku as gate collections from match that was publicly sold out in kisumu , very soon , the players will be locked out of training , salaries for players and coach will not be paid , not bcoz we dont have the money but despite having too much money .
We as fans like the players will do our part , we demand the same of the rest.
So only 1784 fans attended the match in Kisumu? Tell that to the birds! Or does it mean that only 1784 fans paid for the entrance fees?
Some figures simply don’t match the crowds seen.
Let’s get serious here – Sofapaka is not taking chances with its games. They have the ability to knock down every team that comes their way, Gor included.
Let Nizigiyimana and Boniface rest a little while as others get tested.
I still insist that Thika United should be relegated.