Players Welfare Association is Launched
Courtesy of the Standard
Nairobi,Kenya:Former Gor Mahia players are destined for greater things with the launch of their welfare association in Nairobi at the weekend.
The launch, which was presided over by Langata MP Joshua Olum and businessman Eric Adede, attracted over 50 former K’Ogalo players from across the country.
The group, to be run by former players including Hezron Omondi (chairman), George Odhiambo (secretary) and Julius Owino (treasurer) has Adede as chairman and Tom Joseph Mboya Oriko as his assistant.
“This is a step in the right direction. Our next project is to hold a fundraiser on October 12 to buy a Nissan matatu and ten motorbikes,” Owino told FeverPitch.
Peter Dawo, who attended the event from Kisumu was optimistic the welfare group will give him a lifeline.
Dawo said: “I brought glory to Kenya and Gor Mahia when I won the Mandela Cup, it is sad to say that the only thing I received was Sh1,000 for the feat, but with the launch of this association, I hope our lives will improve.”
David Ochieng’ Kamoga, another football great who attended the launch said the group has come at the right time.
Adede said two sports financial consultants from South African clubs Kaiser Chiefs and Orlando Pirates will be flown in a fortnight to talk to the former players on how to invest and manage their projects.
He added that similar welfare groups will be set up in
September for current players and another one for fans in October.
“Local players suffer at the end of their careers because of lack of alternative ways to earn livelihood, this is the reason we are trying to bring positive changes at Gor Mahia,” said Adede who promised to pay medical bills for Francis Akang’o and Nathan Munai who picked knee injuries when they played for the club.
During the event, Langata legislator donated Sh250,000 into the former player’s kitty, with Oriko contributing Sh100,000.
Sally Bolo, a management consultant with an advocate firm in Nairobi, volunteered to train the former players on life skills during the event attended by former Gor Mahia Organising Secretary Tom Ataro.
Best idea and whose time came a little too late but still it has come. May I call upon all past players to come out from wherever they are and support this project, do not hide in shame.We are here for you. And on this I really want to congratulate Julius Owino for having put on a brave face in whatever he was doing coz without him this problem may not have been known. I also want to congratulate Dr Adede and whoever else has come out to support the idea. No politics in this please and anybody who attempts to ride on this noble idea as a stepping stone to a post in the club must be told to forget it. Campaigns aside, but if you must,kindly do it completely outside this project.
B.Williamson, welcome and I hope you understand the kind of opposition you face in Chemelil in your first game in charge,beat them man.
i would advice that the former players do something together. start a project as a team rather than as individuals. this way you can check on each others excesses and will easily attract more funds towards the former players welfare. remember that when you played money flowed and as you have now experienced investment is not necessarily an easy game. i challenge you to even start a small shop and see if it will not be our shop of choice.
The Idea is good but what I may ask,what kind of K’ogalo players will benefit.How long are u supposed to have played for Gor Mahia for u to benefit from that kity.4r example Ali abondo played for Gor for a season ,is he also a beneficiary.There must be a period in which a player must have played for Gor to benefit and this must also include foreigners and non Luo players who have played for Gor for say upto 5yrs upto retire.Somebody like Awilo deserve to be in that welfare having played 4r Gor 4r 10 yrs.
The idea is good as it is consoling.After hanging boots many players lead very difficult life for lose of regular income and this is not only limited to Gormahia players. My view point is that the intersted former and current players form groups of amaximum of tenty each and give themslves codes or names, do their individual fund raising then pool together the collection for a major harambee which will then be divided to them on percentage of innitial collection. From this the groups can start profit making projects.
Secondly parliament should poropose and pass a motion seeking to establish a national sports welfare trust in the nature of NSSF where clubs and players will be compulsarily saving some small money so that players who may not be employed should also have some thing to lean on later.
Michael Odhiambo, I do not think discrimination of whatever nature will do here. This should be as open as it can be coz its going to be participative so long as you were in the team roll at any time, for whatever period, from whatever background and are willing to participate. I do not think there is going to be any hand outs but they will be enabled to generate incomes on their own. I believe there will be a constitution to guide the group.
Noble idea,but what about real legends?every former player even those who only attended trials suddenly want 2 benefit from the gor mahia brand!!
Well well well, indeed this is a very noble idea but I am a bit skeptical. The timing unsettles me. Has it anything to do with the impending elections? I have heard about this initiative before but it never goes beyond the inauguration stage. Let me hope this time round, we have serious drivers of this very noble cause. Otherwise I remain doubtful for now.
For God and my beloved club Kogallo
This is a lesson to the current players that all is not the same as you approach retirement and upon retiring. Players should make use of their current form to earn decent income and invest in education or any Income generating activities. Some players are in mess because of being not focused. Teachers do earn peanuts but they own a number of businesses thanks to their corrupt but stable saccos. We can come up with good suggestions/idea but if the beneficiaries are not up to the task/have visions then its a mission in futility. You need to visit the estates pub to understand what I mean. But all in all its a noble idea and let open it up M-PESA A/C so we can contribute
Am also skeptical. this project seems a mere election campaign ploy.As Stevo puts it who are these Hezron & George as real legends Kamoga & Dawo appear to only be spectators at the event. Also this Adede wants to be chairman and Sally Bolo vied in the last elections & lost. While its their right can they match TEAM LEGENDS I.E OBWAKA,LULE, SIANGA ETC. Let players and fans form cooperatives to grow.
FINALLY LET PUT’S FOOTBALL FIRST & FOREMOST IN GM EVERTHING ELSE SHOULD BE SECONDARY.
good move ,its always gud if we honour our heroes..past n present………
so bobby are u ready for ua 1st assignment against chemelil?…wish u luck.jst hopin the boys wont struggle to impress the new boss and end up wit welbeck kind of stuff.
Tunaweka siasa hapa? Naaaaaaa, thats how we fail every where whenever we try anything which appears progressive. Why are we criticizing everything? We should be giving suggestions for making this a success. Somebody had to come out at some point to start something and the few who did that should be appreciated rather then vilified. Am disgusted by some comments on this subject.While I appreciate the contributions of the so called legends,my understanding is that this thing is for all past players and the legends are free to come out and participate.
While this is a good move we should note that the same group was sometimes back behind one of the conveners as his support for the chairmanship. The issue is that these problems have been there for a long time and it’s good that they are being looked at. My problem is only one. Why target the former players when we can ensure that the current players don’t fall into the same ‘hole’. Why can’t these team encourage the players to go to school in the evenings and get survival skills out and away from football. An accountancy,investment, coaching or refereeing course would do for the players. We don’t have to wait for them to be out there in the rough world to come and be their saviour, let’s start it now.
Guys lets not behave like cops,suspicious of everything,a campaign strategy or not isn’t it a noble idea? Let give them the space to act then do correction or else if you have a super idea than this then put it forward.
@11 I agree with you.
Every idea must have a brainchild whether a legend or not,let the ‘Baby’ walk.
good idea Infact I hear the incoming chairman harrison okwiri is working on ablue print to form cooparative society for both current and former players so that next time we don’t see our players suffering after they retire kudos to okwiri I hope he will be given support to help our club grow. I like what he is saying about upgrading city stadium coz all these initiatives will make our club better
LOLLEST “ATI IN COMING CHAIRMAN- MY FOOT- FROM WHERE?