Resiliency will carry Gor Mahia to GoTV shield
If there is one adjective that can describe Gor Mahia’s performance over the first two months it is Resilient. If you are looking for another one then perhaps focused is the best fit.
Resilient because every team that plays against Gor Mahia brings forth their best effort because every team wants to be known as the team that ended Gor Mahia’s unbeaten run. Thus every team is playing their heart out and using every trick in the book. Some like Tusker and Ulinzi have resorted to rough play in a bid to disrupt Gor Mahia’s rhythm but it has been too no avail. Some have resorted to gamesmanship by accusing match officials of helping Gor Mahia. None of it has taken Gor Mahia off their rhythm.
Note also that Gor Mahia have played far more matches than any other team in Kenya today. Not only are they still playing inthe GoTv shield, but they were also in the final of the KPL Top 8. They played in the CECAFA club cup, the Africa champions league, the Supercup as well as the KPLC Charity cup earlier in the year.
Gor Mahia players are also actively involved in various national teams. Michael Olunga, Boniface Oluoch, Harun Shakava, Musa Mohamed, Karim Nizigiyimana, Abouba Sibomana, Khalid Aucho, Geoffrey Walusimbi and also Dirkir Glay are all constantly in international action. Olunga for his part has played for both the senior national team and the U23 team. This fatigue has on occassion appeared to take its toll on Gor Mahia players but they have found ways to overcome it.
And finally Gor Mahia players and officials have had to play all year through erratic pay schedules. Salaries have not always been paid on time for players. And for some officials, months have gone without seeing any pay. But yet again the technical bench and team have risen above it.
This resiliency was on display this past weekend when Gor Mahia played against a tough and determined SoNy Sugar side that had recently dispatched Sofapaka 3-1. Against Gor Mahia they took an early lead and held onto it as if they were holding onto dear life. With twelve minutes left, many Gor Mahia fans had given up. Some were writing posts on social media suggesting that if Gor Mahia’s unbeaten record were to end then it is acceptable that it end against SoNy Sugar.
But Gor Mahia players had other ideas and never gave up. A double sunk SoNy Sugar leaving them with no alternative but to usethe Standard excuse that referees were to blame.
“As a team we were not happy with decisions which were made on the material day, it was like we were not supposed to win, but them. That the final was already won before being played and that was not good at all. Kagere scored from an offside position, and the goal was allowed, and that penalty, our player was down, and in other occasion we have seen referees waving play on, but it was a different case here.” said Andrew Sekayombya of SoNy to goal.com.
Never mind the fact that Gor Mahia outplayed Sony for most of the match.
Focus
Gor Mahia wrapped up the league title almost two months ago on September 16 when they beat SoNy Sugar 1-0. One would have thought that after having won the league, Gor Mahia players would rest on their laurels and take their foot off the accelerator pedal. Instead Gor Mahia have gone on yet another winning spree. In the league, they dispatched Sofapaka and Muhoroni 2-0, while Western Stima and Tusker were beaten 1-0. And Gor Mahia went on to beat Tusker yet again in the KPL Top 8, marking the 3rd time Gor Mahia has beaten Tusker this season.
While Gor Mahia has continued to win, every other team in Kenya has lost at least one game since September 16. Second placed Ulinzi succumbed to a loss to Bandari last week in the GoTv shield. And on October 18 they were drubbed 2-0 by Thika United. Meanwhile Sofapaka, Ingwe and Tusker have lost more times in the last two months than this author can count. All the while, Gor Mahia are still going strong.
Variety
Unlike past seasons, Gor Mahia are not overly dependent on one player. This has been a key factor in maintaining the unbeaten run. When Olunga is having an off game, Kagere will step forward and score crucial goals. When neither of them can find the net, Ali Abondo will rise to the occasion.
The supply of passes also shows similar variety. Attacks are built either from the flanks or through the middle and players like Wafula, Nizigiyimana, Sibomana and Walusimbi are all capable of providing decisive assists. Opposing teams are stretched to the limit because they cannot focus on any particular player.
This is unlike past seasons when the Gor Mahia offence was known as “Patia Sserunkuma”. Coach Frank Nuttall has rejuvenated the attack and provided much needed variety.
Players like Blackberry, Agwanda, Jerim Onyango etc who are used to being in the starting line-up have shown patience and when called upon have delivered results. Even Ali Abondo went through a stretch on the bench. But he came back rejuvenated and is now scoring regularly again.
GoTV Shield next
Coach Nuttall and other technical bench members including Bobby Legend, Mathew Ottamax and Frank Ouna deserve praise for keeping the players focused. Ouna has vowed that Gor Mahia will keep their eyes on their next target which is the GoTV shield.
“We thank God for our win on Saturday against Sony, it was a difficult match but we managed to win and in the process bag our second trophy. Thanks to the fans, they cheered us through the entire match and we are very happy with the outcome. It has been a good season to everyone associated with this big club.
“The GOtv Shield is up next, and we do not want to lose it, we want also to give the same commitment like the other competitions we have won. So we will give our best and try to take it home too. We know it will be difficult but we have what it takes to secure it.” said Ouna go goal.com
With the resiliency, patience and focus that Gor Mahia has shown, there is no reason to doubt that they will secure their fourth title of the season. They will take on Administration Police in the quarter-finals. Dates and venue have yet to be finalized.
I SMELL POLITICS !! POLITICS !! AND SHEER DISCRIMINATION
AMAZING HOW A CLUB CAN ACHIEVE ALL THIS AND YET NOT EVEN ATTRACT AN INTERNATIONAL SPONSOR ………CAN YOU BELIEVE GOR MAHIA HAS ONLY LOST 1 COMPETITIVE GAMES ON KENYAN SOIL AND 2 COMPETITIVE GAMES ABROAD, YEAR TO DATE (A DOUBLE LOSS TO AC LEOPARDS CONGO AND A LOSS TO AZAM ) AND REACHED THE FINAL IN ALL COMPETITIONS ?
HOW MANY CLUBS IN THE WORLD CAN COUNT OF SUCH ACHIEVEMENT ???????
I SMELL POLITICS !! POLITICS !! AND SHEER DISCRIMINATION
AMAZING HOW A CLUB CAN ACHIEVE ALL THIS AND YET NOT EVEN ATTRACT AN INTERNATIONAL SPONSOR ………CAN YOU BELIEVE GOR MAHIA HAS ONLY LOST 1 COMPETITIVE GAMES ON KENYAN SOIL AND 2 COMPETITIVE GAMES ABROAD, YEAR TO DATE (A DOUBLE LOSS TO AC LEOPARDS CONGO AND A LOSS TO AZAM ) AND REACHED THE FINAL IN ALL COMPETITIONS ?
HOW MANY CLUBS IN THE WORLD CAN COUNT OF SUCH ACHIEVEMENT ?
Gor Mahia will never get sponsorship so long as the fans keep getting attention for all the wrong reasons. It’s myopic for anyone to think that it’s only the players who bring attention to Gor. Any serious sponsor will not want to see it’s name linked to such repulsive behaviour Gor fans display. Gor fans can blame politics but the politicians will ask,
‘If you believe so much in Gor why can’t you put your own money’.
Fans openly demonstrate they have no faith yet expect that the people they stone should also give.
– Gor fans do not even buy the club mechandize.
– Gor fans go around stoning everybody yet turn around and ask the same ppl for money.
Get real and see the real problems as they are before blaming the govt.
Some of the pathetic sights a sponsor sees;
Seeing a so called Gor fan adorned in an ‘Adidas Shirt’ PROUDLY walking in town.
Fans shouting on top of a statue on how he loves Gor and would do anything for the club.
Fans in fake jerseys in high end bars ordering expensive whisky and attracting attention for all wrong reasons.
Fan destroying public property that other Kenyans too have contributed in building.
Gor Mahia as a human being is strong and is really struggling to make ends meet, but he has one problem, it’s a health problem. On his back he has a big boil that is slowly drains his life away. That boil is a fan.
Wikipedia gave a hint when they deleted ‘Giniwasekao’ from their DB.
Dinga I beg to differ. That GOR is not able to attaract a sponsor is all politics. Last weekend during Arsenal Vs Tottenham game, plastic bottles were thrown into the field aiming at certain players. In fact the so called holiganism is worse in Europe. We have a media that never see anything good in our own sports and have always preferred to report the negatives. Yes I agree that amongst us GOR fans there are people bent on causing truoble and I believe that to a large extent they have been dealt with in the season just ended. A section of GOR fans also think that being a GOR fan is an entitlement to do wrong things and get away with it….they come to the stadia drunk, continue drinking and smoke bang and all manner of bad things. Fights amongst fans during GOR matches is a common thing, there were numerous during our match against Muhoroni Youth, but this happens elsewhere. However, good behaviour behoves on the individual fan, and I think it is upon the GOR MAHIA fratenity, fans and the office, to ensure we behave well becuase police intervention has been counter productive. Look, AFC Leopards got sponsorship from Mumias Sugar despite their poor fans behaviour records and I am sure the sponsorship will continue once Mumias finds its footing. There are many issues at play that need to be put in place so as attract sponsorship. I am sure our EC will fail the rigourous test of transparency that come with sponsorship, accountability is the most wanting thing in GOR. The EC stopped long time ago to disclose gate collections from the home matches, no information is forth coming on how has been raised from the Sacco, the bread. No efforts are being made to see that club gets some revenue from sale of merchandise. GOR is serious brand, very little effort will be used to market it. We need leaders who will address these issues.
The sad part is that Gor is supported by a community with such little understanding. Pride and bragging will get you nowhere. That is why you easily compare Gor to Arsenal et Tottenham. You do not ask yourself how much an average Arsenal fan spends on the club compared to the Gor fan who would rather jump over the gate. I would advice you to read my comment again. Gor is neither a govt institution nor a public company that it can demand for govt help. So how does politics come into play? These companies you now want to sponsor Gor, are they owned by Luos? Unless you are now referring to public owned companies. Mumias giving AFC money was purely out of the goodwill of one person. And do you need to be told what those one man decisions can lead to? So if you are referring to major private some companies with majority Luo shareholders then maybe you have a point. Just name them for us.
Relax Dinga. Do not pour emotions on this issue. Read your post again and see how you are contradicting yourself. GOR will get no sponsorship from any company unless it is pushed by a Luo from inside or somebody sympathetic to the Luos,that is the truth. GOR is seen as a Luo club whether the fans behave well or otherwise and because of tribalism and wrong perception, nobody wants to come on board. GOR/TUZO case was pushed by a Luo from inside and once owners had made their money, they pulled out. What economic sense does it make for Britam to pour tens of millions in Mathare United knowing very well that Mathare has no fan base to reciprocate Britam’s investment effort? Why woulld somebody sponsor City Stars and leave GOR or AFC? Infact I read mischief in all these…..an effort to lure players from GOR and AFC so that the clubs die out. If you do not know that is what Moi did in the 80S when GOR and AFC had very huge following. Today GOR has following all over the country and beyond. I am telling you for free that somebody somewhere is not comfortable with is…anybody who wants to sponsor GOR will be dissuaded from doing that. The stereotying that some of you are perpetuating about Luos is sickening and stinking to the heavens. I did not apply to be born a Luo, I am proud of being a Luo and I have no apologies to make.
By the grace of GOD, Gor Mahia will get a shirt sponsor before the start of 2016 season. If you believe like I do , say AMEN!
Amen!
AMEN !!
HELLOW MY FELLOE COUNTRY-MEN, I NEED ONLY 1,000 PEOPLE TO DONATE KSH. 1,000.00. PER MONTH TO PAY OUR BELOVED COUCH PROF.NATTULL, HE DESERVE ONE 1M P/M. THAT,S ONLY KSH. 12,000.00. PER YEAR. IS FAR MUCH MORE THAN WHAT SOME PEOPLE ARE WAISTING IN BARS. NUMBER 1 IS MINE? I KNOW VERY WELL THAT MATTERS TOUCHING MONEY NO BODY WILL RESPOND TO THIS MY CALL????
Achacha you have my 1k per month form Jan 2016 , contact me on 0722 514483.
SOME BODY SOME WHERE HAS DELETED MY ARTICAL HERE? SHAME ON HIM/HER!!!
@ Achacha.
Your post above was originally sent to the spam folder. I have said before but its worth repeating. The spam filter sends posts to the spam filter for various reasons. One of the reasons is the use of too many punctuation marks like ????????.
Every blog requires a spam filter because every blog is barraged by hundreds and hundreds of spam posts.
Sometimes when a post is sent to the spam folder , it can be retrieved. But sometimes it will be deleted before it can be retreived.
Long story short: Everyone should desist from writing posts that could be sent to the spam folder
I THINK WE SHOULD RELEASE MR. JUMA OR JAGOAL AND REPLACE THEM MR. ALLAN OWINY! AWACHO AWACHA JO K’OGALO KIK OTWEYA JOKA MA??
I love Gor….and I agree with one of us here….Sponsorship will elude us as long as our fans will be on the headlines for wrongs reasons. Sponsorship is all about publicity. Gor fan base is good market for sponsorship..saves for negative publicity.
So my post is deleted or blocked because I have disagreed with Dinga? Why then invite comments from us? If we cannot say things as they are basi mkae na hi page yenu.
@Apida
Your post was initially sent to the spam folder. Read my response to Achcha regarding why his post was sent to the spam folder. same applies to Jakoyo. As you can see, once he corrected his post, it was displayed.
Ok admin noted and a thoudand one one apologies.
We need to be realistic about the sponsorship issue. I do not want to be negative. But I do not think a sponsor is coming anythime soon.
Instead focus on supporting the club via membership and other avenues.
If the EC can be transparent and be publishing monthly reports. If 100,000 fans can be contributing even Sh100/- per month that gives a total of Sh 10m per month. This can more than cover the monthly budget and the balance directed towards future development of a stadium or such facilities.
Interesting when you talk of Luo owned companies;@Dinga,they are there(Mombasa) but very few.Unfortunately that is the Achilles heel.On sponsorship I feel it is tribalised.If only we had more firms.Any Luo who owns a bakery in Kisumu?
in a country where diversity is used for convenience, then you suffer.
no sponsor feel the same heat when sponsoring athleitcs when we know kalenjins dominate.
rugby is sponsored yet dominated by Luos and Luhyas (with clubs names disguising this fact)
can someone officially legitimize tribalisms so that we all know for sure our tribes would be considered from all fronts ie political appointment, sport sponsorship, etc
The truth is that we as a community are behind in entrepreneurship , management , wealth creation and PR
The media is looking on the bad side of the club only … Let us black list certain media outlets … Until they style up on their reporting …. We need prayers too to get rid of the ” day and night runners ” who do their backward acts at our functions … They want to annoy so many people for that is the joy of the devil in them
The issue of sponsorship is a very serious one. My observation are two why not get an organization trying to get a foothold in our country and be their ambassadors. We can also be sponsors as we always are by attending matches and paying for the same. On fans we ought to know that hooligans are everywhere and to label a luo, like yours truly, a hooligan is hogwash same as saying all kikuyus are thieves. The bottom line is that football is emotional and that is why all over the world football matches are well secured. Why not in Kenya.