Oktay: We deserved better in CECAFA
Gor Mahia tactician Hassan Oktay believes the quarter-final exit at this year’s CECAFA club cup did not reflect the club’s performance.
“We really do not deserve to come out of this tournament given how we played, we actually should not have come out. But we also missed international players like Francis Kahata and Jacques Tuyisenge together with national players (Otieno and Onyango). That means we came with young boys and so it was not going to be easy. But still we should have played in the semi-final or in the final given the quality we have and unfortunately, that will not happen.” he said to goal.com
The biggest issue at Gor Mahia currently is the lack of an established striker went on Oktay.
“Unfortunately, we were lacking the final touch and it is something I have seen before and talked about it so many times. When you leave key national players and come with some young boys this (defeat) happens. They need the experience to deal with this kind of football arena which is very very different.” he said.
Oktay also thinks his side may have under-estimated the Zambians.
“I was not pleased with the boys’ performance but I don’t think we deserved to leave the tournament. We underestimated Green Eagles and unfortunately, they punished us from our mistakes. We didn’t have enough quality in the final third,” said Oktay.
He seemed to imply that he has no input in the signing of players.
“Interestingly as the head coach, I have never signed a single player at Gor Mahia. I found them here. The defeat was a wake-up call to us and we now need to shift focus to the champions league and the premier league.”
Oktay: Gor Mahia will struggle this season
Coach Hassan Oktay believes the loss of quality players will cause the club to struggle during the 2019-2020 season.
“It is going to be a tough year for us if we don’t get the players who fit the qualities of the club. It will be tough, we will struggle.” he said to goal.com
Oktay believes the club must sign additional quality players before the transfer deadline.
“It depends, we need to sign the players, Gor Mahia need to sign about three quality players, we need them here now. “We have only signed players from the lower league, we signed youth team players and that is not enough, with such a squad, we will struggle, we need players. “If you ask me, we need two strikers and one winger, a very good wide player.” he continued.
Shakava prepared to play out contract
Gor Mahia defender Harun Shakava now says that he is willing to play through the rest of his contract which has six months left.
“It’s true I have received a number of offers within and outside the country, but I am not keen on leaving Gor Mahia now. I still have a running contract with the club and it would be important to see it out,” Shakava told Standard Sports. “I know in football, things happen so fast but let’s just wait for the contract to expire then see what follows. But if indeed the teams interested in me are serious, let them first engage my current club.” he told Standard Sports.
On the club’s loss to Green Eagles, Shakava said that defensive lapses and the loss of key players was costly.
“We worked hard and the commitment from the players was there, but two defensive mistakes cost us the match. All the same, this was a good pre-season tournament for the team ahead of the new season. “We clearly missed the experience of Kahata and Tuyisenge as well as the other regular players who were left back home. When you want to win such tournaments, you must have your best players.” he continued.
What Oktay is saying here is what i said a few days ago. When you lose Tuyisenge, Kahata, Blackberry and soon Shakava, you must sign players of similar or better quality and experience. If you do not your team is weaker than it was when you had them. Whenever we point out this we are called pessimists and doomsayers and we should stop demoralizing and namecalling our ‘young and talented new players’. We only say this because we love the club and would like it to be as strong or even better than it was last season. Secondly, there has been a song here by some that Gor does not have money to sign quality players. Who told you so? On Oktay’s excuses, they are laughable and becoming too much. When Djabel was on the table he said he did not sanction his signing, saying he did not need a winger but a striker. He then went for Ambundo, a winger and now wants a quality wide player. Is he saying Ambundo is not the quality he desires? Then why was he signed?
But I think coach is free to make such comments? Why, does that make him a lesser tactician? I see these comments made by coaches all over, why should it be wrong for Oktay? Let’s be frank, there comes a time when a team has to experience transition and that time is now and the sooner we reconcile ourselves to that fact, the better. We cannot expect to win everything all the time. LET THE BOYS MOULD UP WITHOUT ALL THESE HARASSMENT, it’s not necessary. Those are my thoughts.
@JTGJ, it takes a measure of madness to argue that posting on this blog is harassing our players. Secondly, transition is good and I am in full support. My take is that we failed to reach the group stage of CAF CC with Tuyisenge, Kahata and the other departing players. Our aim this year was to do better and we cannot do it if those players are not replaced with similar quality. Thirdly, you say Oktay has a right to talk. Yes he has and can say anything he wants. In the same vein, we have a right to agree with him when he makes sense like when he says the team has lost experienced players and needs to replace them adequately. We also have the right to criticize him and ask why just a week ago he said he does not need a winger when a very good one was in the market then say this week he needs one.
CAF club champions league is tough and has no time for inexperienced players, Gor Mahia EC, please sign experienced two strikers and winger (in the caliber of Meddie Kagere and Jacques Tuyisenge) as requested by the coach.
Oktay…welcome to the negative energy branch aka the legion of doom
Yes it’s harassment for these young boys, CAF CC or not, Gor still is and will be, so let’s accept the transition, taste fire here and there, adds to the excitement. in any case where is that money to sign those experienced players? They cost handsomely.
@JTGJ, don’t just keep harping and insisting that we harass players on this blog, kindly go a step further and tell me how? Secondly, who told you there is no money….we have signed experienced players in the past so why can’t we sign this year?
the inexperienced players will be in Gor this season. Leave it take it. those resistant to change will find it default to see the “best thing that happened”.. I am personally behind this team. I have watched Berry for 10plus, Kahata for 10Plus both Thika United and Gor, Have watched Tuyisenge for 5Plus, Have watched Bonny for 10plus, Oliech for 15Plus, All these players must inspired our new signings and they are ready. give them a chance.
Who said those players will not be in Gor this season? Who said they are not behind this team? It is advisable to read, understand then respond. There are those who do it in reverse.
What happened in Rwanda had nothing to do with the attacks being thrown around here. The timing of the tournament is not good for us being that most of our players indulge in some anti football ways when on holiday. It came too soon in our pre-season.
The second observation i made was on fielding. We now have Elvis in defence and i believe he would have done better than what i saw. We also have Tobias in midfield and i also believe he would have provided better cover. Lastly, i believe Mapigano would have been a better choice for the quarters match.
We have a good team.
Before Gor Mahia even start thinking about the two strikers and wide winger, first to be fixed is the technical bench. The team has very good players and a very good assistant coach and nothing more. Hapo kwa head coach: long lilo as far mastery of tactics grooming of upstarts are concerned.
@bb,can u pls elaborate on how the headcoach cannot mentor the young squad we hav.it is less than a month andeveryone has their opinion as to what will happen if we play the new recruite.all the concern r genuine but what hav learn is that every season in gor start in shambles and pressure from fans makes avarage players and coach shine.can some recall jakoyo’s altimatum to the coach.oktay perfomed despite our misgiving.those for the younglads and those for experiance players ar right to some exte
Now that Gor mahia fc patron have decided to influence the naming of city stadium to Joe kadenge stadium, will it be advisable for Gor mahia fc to play home matches in that stadium or we forget about that stadium for good. On my side, I don’t think that the stadium will be for us any more once it’s named Joe kadenge stadium. Our patron is not keen to protect the interest of Gor mahia fc but the interest of his in-laws. Awacho ayueyo tho.
@ogolo what has the name got to do with our game? Is this not the same argument that was there previously that we cannot play in blue kit.
How comes we play in Moi Stadium or Kenyatta Stadium all over the country
My friend, kadenge is AFC legend and you can’t compare with moi and Kenyatta
CAF club champions is a knockout. No time for experimenting, trial and error etc etc let us get things right now by recruiting the 2 experienced strikers plus a winger the coached has asked for, then the new players will learn from them. Let us get things right during this transfer period. This is the truth and whatever arguements we advance wont change that fact.
First Bonface Oluoch is nolonger a lert. Where is Fredrick Odhiambo? or the new signing should take over. Two more signings of experienced players necessary. I wont mind if Shakava leaves so long as experienced players are there to cover up.
Jasego cartels osemai ngima Koso nang’o? An Chunywa ool.
There is no reasons to panick. We are yet to start the league. It is transition time and expecting too much from the players who have not even harmonized their training is causing unnecessary pressure on the couch and officials. Gor will still do well this season in the league, we also expect them to do better in continent matches.
Work in progress, we should not expect much from the young team.
Is Gor mahia the right place to mould and build young and raw talent ?
I am not sure but what I know is the kind of pressure that players are subjected to may not be condusive for such an activity.
We are work in progress every year. Every year. We sell proven players. Right so we should be moulding ground for other teams
Maneno ya we are going to compete in CAF we should forget. We are going to expose our players for poaching and the cartels to make a kill.
@Jamriambo, Do you mean Gor Mahia should not compete in CAF club champions for fear of players being poached? Should Gor Mahia just participate in FKF premier league without having ambition of conquering Africa? Football is business, selling players happens all over the world. What matters is that as a club, Gor Mahia should do it as per FIFA regulations and use the money from sale of players to better the team. But then, we cannot be work on progress every year without growing. As Gor Mahia we must grow and conquer Africa. Unless we don’t have ambitions.
Any news on signings,We won’t survive with current squad.We will be like sheep heading to slaughter
All bloggers here are complaining too much. Why can’t you guys post positive news apart from complaining too much? Mara we won’t survive with current squad mara Gor Mahia should not compete in CAF club champions mara we should not expect much from the young team mara Bonface Oluoch is no longer a lert mara headcoach cannot mentor the young squad mara the inexperienced players will be in Gor this season etc.
All these are bullshit and you better keep such nonsense to yourselves. You are useless bloggers that are good for nothing like the skin of a dog.
I have left this site.
We will compete and beat teams, so you scaremongers please leave this team alone. Look Gor could not have been a team of only Kahata, Tuysenge and blackberry, the rest of the 1st team of last year are still around so am not understanding the cause of all this panic. We may not go far in CAF competitions but then I say, Gor does not start and end with CAF, there is always life after CAF. So cool it down, pump up team morale.
@Jamigori, let us respect everybody’s opinion. Use of uncivilised language is not the best. Give your opinion like any other person. Don’t specialise in dismissing other people’s opinions.
@Jamigori, let us respect each others opinion. Let Gor Mahia EC sample peoples comments here and implement what they can. Give your opinion and leave it at that. The furthest you should go is to pick a particular comment and criticise it positively. But don’t specialise in dismissing other people’s comments wholesome.
As long as Hassan Okay is still the coach, let his request be granted (Two experienced strikers and one winger). Gor Mahia has only one head coach, Hassan Okay until such a day he will be relieved of his duties. You can’t engage a coach and fail to grant him his wishes. That amounts to sabotaging his work. Period.
Gor Mahia EC should facilitate the coach by granting him his wish (two experienced strikers and a winger). Failure to do this amounts to sabotaging the work of the coach. You can’t send somebody to the garden and deny him a jembe. That will be giving him excuses should he fail. Let the coach be given what he want then we demand results.
@Musymo recently requested somebody on this wall to appreciate the difference between criticising and critiquing , while the former elicits arguments , the latter elicits debate , while the former is one dimensional and hence simplistic , the latter is multi dimensional and hence contextual e.g if somebody injects the issue of renaming city stadium to Joe Kadenge Stadium into an issue that is totally different , that is a consequence of shallowness that is a product of the absence of depth and rather than elicit debate will elicit arguments and inconsequential and irrelevant sideshows , on the contrary , a critique appeals to your mind and ability to decipher issues that on the surface seem complicated but broken down are what desired and enabling depth would allow you to see .
The reason why year in , year out , we seem to have the same issues , same fears is that we subsitute macro issues with micro/simplistic suggestions whereas what is required is a contextual input of what forms the foundation of the club and which is the EC (officially a part of the entity ) , the TB/playing unit ( officially a part of the entity and the fanbase (?????) , and any entity that ideally is desired to operate at full throttle , will by design fail to do so when their is a missing link.
The debate on how to address this missing link should and must not be solely driven by fear but rather to take the risk and premise it on aspiration and positive energy by everybody playing a role , inside and not on the periphery .
Musonye attacks some foreign coaches who belittle the CECAFA Kagame Cup as well as Yanga and Simba clubs for snubbing the tournament. Could it be Oktay who said he was taking ‘kids’ there to go pick some experience?
Too bad that you are silent all the while as bloggers ventilate their feelings freely, but when you finally wake up from your slumber, the best you can do is to demonstrate that your head is overflooded with intellectual marasmus. Jamigori before you describe any blogger here as bullshit, take a very thorough scrutiny of yourself. Fellow bloggers tusiwe na wepesi wakurusha matusi please.
@Jamigori, we are not complaining. We are giving our opinion. We need to respect each others opinion. I may not agree with your opinion but I need to respect it. If I am to critique your opinion, I have to do it positively with decorum…….use of words like bullshit are unacceptable.
CAF club champions draw:
-Gor Mahia to meet Black Eagles of Burundi.
-God Mahia starts away between 9th-11th August
-The winner will meet either USM Alger of Algeria or SONIDEP of Niger
Black Eagles FC (also known as Aigle Noir) of Burundi.
Those are very tough teams that gor mahia has been paired with and I don’t see where they kogallo will make any statement in Africa with the kind of mediocre signing of fringe players. Gor cannot challenge any team from Algeria and Nigeria truth be told at this time where mass exodus of experienced players are the norm of the day.
The only ‘mass’ exodus worth mentioning is Tyuisenge who also missed some Caf matches due to suspension.Kahata was only remembered for airport bedroom and selfie.Shakava was never impressive compared to momanyi and Joachim. There is no vacuum and the current players are equally capable of playing for Gor.
My friend all teams with good players and are not finacially capable will experience what we are currently. Ajax is an example. Why can’t we emulate a team like KCCA which basically used the local talent are are currently the CECAFA champs. Simba and Yanga have filled their teams with as many as 11 foreigners. The issue is whether they will manage to have value for money for such a squad. Most of the Nrth Africans use their local talents but add only a few muscle-men from West Africa to bolster their attacks.
I believe all we need to do is to motivate the boys and believe in them. Currently most are not firing at their optimum but i believe they soon will.
I am also waiting to see the firepower of Wazito after their marque signings. Wouldn’t the pressure be too much on them to prove their worth?
We will beat the Burundi team (hopefully) but the issue of whether we will beat USM is a different thing. The good thing is that our good run in CAF competitions has enabled us to start both matches away. This is always an advantage to some extent
@Odhis muga Hehehe!! be analytical,this is CAF champion not Kenya premier league or GOTV cup. If truly you watched CECAFA cup which ended recently then you need to be think twice, The team we have now cannot go past The Burundian club whatsoever. If wishes were horses then beggars would rise
The issue is not experience of players who have remained in Gor Mahia, the issue is players who have left. Have we replaced them with players of similar quality or even better quality than them? Who has replaced Tuyisenge? Who has replaced Kahata? Are they of the same quality or even better than the two? We need a big quality squad which can be rotated due to many matches the team will play.
For a serious club the two players who left would be replaced by similar quality.I moan here that Djabel would have overhauled Kahata’s work, then a good CF and a winger like Jules. Just 3 talented guys then add the juniors from NSL and we would be good to go and be an improvement from last season.We can’t carry last seasons problem to this season and not talk about it simply because we are Africans so don’t question authority or we are poor,
A focused club leadership always scale higher and higher by maintaining high level of players scouting and recruitment and competing with the best in Africa.If we reached caf confed quarters then it was ripe for the a focused club to join the championship this time round But starting to recruit below par players in the name of punishing fans is not leadership at all in fact it is stupid. The fans are always respected by various clubs in the world that is why the demonstration by Arsenal fans forced the club owners to talk and give a direction that the club is going to sign 4 quality players. Let’s not forget that Gor mahia itself is a ready brand that any serious leaders should strive to maximize so as to compete in the continent. AR should not go back to Sianga style of recruitment by doing an overhaul to the team by bringing new inexperienced players that will take 6 years to mature in the game, because he had said that he is leaving the club now he wants to leave behind a disjointed team,we are strategically watching Team manager in the club should have left as early as yesterday because he is a sycophant and joy-riders in the club.
Mr Head Coach, I don’t know where you get the idea of having a right or deserving of something in football!
In football, it is the results that count! We were ill-prepared or not good enough and that’s why green eagles thumped us!
And I don’t think it is the so called quality strikers that count but the tactical ability of the technical bench that should use what is at their disposal to get the job done!
Otherwise, how does one explain how Kccafc, with a younger less experienced squad of players averaging less than 21 years across the board, take the green eagles head on and beat them 4:3 in an open end to end affair?
In a team like Gor Mahia, the fewer excuses we have from the technical bench the better! Use whoever and what is there to get results. I don’t hear Kccafc complaining about the 5 or so senior players who didn’t go for cecafa club tournament and yet they won the championship!
Gor Mahia is a much better team than Kccafc, financially and pedigree, so why all this excuses from our technical wing?
Style up and just do your job Mr Octay or get some time and have even a telephone chat with Mr Mike Mutebi of Kccafc on how to use little resources to get big benefits!