The repercussions and roots of fan frustrations
Courtesy of goal.com
According to SSMB Public Relations Officer Rakhi Asman, the damage was very extensive and is more than what was witnessed on two previous occasions
By Otieno Otieno
Gor Mahia will be billed for the destruction caused by their fans during Sunday’s Kenyan Premier League match against City Stars.
Angry fans destroyed seats at Kasarani protesting at the team’s failure to overcome City Stars after the match ended in a barren draw.
According to the Sports Stadia Management Board (SSMB) Public Relations Officer Rakhi Asman, the damage was very extensive and is more than what was witnessed on two previous occasions.
“In our estimation, more than 300 seats were destroyed and we will certainly bill the club for the damages. After that we have to sit down and consider any other appropriate action,” Asman told Goal.
Gor may be banned from the facility if past action is anything to go by. Asman said the SSMB has embarked on carrying out repairs ahead of the regional Military games which start on Tuesday.
“We will repair the damages and then ask Gor to pay us. We have to do this due to the Military Games which start on Tuesday at the venue,” added the official.
Irate K’Ogalo fans caused destruction of property at the stadium, plucking off plastic chairs, breaking off others as they directed their anger at the technical bench led by Scottish Bobby Williamson.
Frustrations
Gor Mahia fans are frustrated at a number of issues. First and foremost is the departure of Rama Salim and Dan Sserunkuma at a critical juncture in the league. Fans are accusing secreratary George Bwana of putting money first.
Secondly the rash of missed chances and some poor performances has caused fans to be unhappy. Fans also felt that the coach did not make appropriate substitutions when players underperformed
Many fans having dealt with the heart-break last year are unable and unwilling to put up with another near miss
Press Conference
According to michezoafrika.com, Gor Mahia were due to hold a press conference at 12:30 pm on Monday where club secretary general George Bwana would explain the current situation.
Hand over Goons to Police
Also according to michezoafrika.com, club secretary general George Bwana will be handing over photos of the alleged section of club fans who roughed him up and stole valuables from him on Sunday evening. Bwana had to sprint for his dear life as goons threatened to rough him up when things turned ugly at Kasarani on Sunday.
Bwana said “Those were indeed goons with a hidden agenda, “I was accosted by a section of unruly goons who demanded I answer why the club has sold some players. Before I could explain myself they started to rough me up. In the process they stole and damaged my car.” He said.
Club Chairman Ambrose Rachier on his part said the club does not support hooliganism at any level. The chairman who left earlier during the Sunday match said he will have to wait for full report to comment on the matter, “We don’t support any form of hooliganism. I have no report on what happened. Trying to beat a club official is a serious offense. We shall get to the root of the matter.” He said
SSMB has some blame to shoulder also. In the 21st Centuary how can a modern sports facility not have surveillance cameras? Pictures and videos of those commiting crimes should be published in newspapers and broadcasted on tv and the suspects arrested. With the video evidense it is easy to get a conviction. If you just arrest people at the stadium, who will be your witness? The other bhang smokers? We need surveillance cameras at our major sports facilities
If the past events are anything to go by,the events that are unfolding are not very good. First we must know that football is a competitive game. No Team goes to the pitch to be beaten but to either win or any other result. As much as it looks like Gor will take the league, they must fight for it and be ready for any result. The fans must not exempt themselves from this reality either. It is very unfortunate to spend money on things that can be avoided.
i normally don’t agree with Ingo but this time round i do.As i said in the previous article we need tvs and cameras to capture acts of hooliganism as they occur!!
However,i must add that this is not the 1st time a suggestion like this has been floated yet the soccer authorities,affected soccer clubs like AFC and GOR,and the stadium management have not heeded this urgent call which means they either condone it or are protecting certain individuals!!!
We are not doing enough to stem this rising incidences of hooliganism….very unfortunate!!!
Ooh Laa la.. “DIFFICULT TIMES CALL FOR BOLD DECISIONS”
“EITHER WE DECIDE TO CONCENTRATE ON THE LEAGUE AND POSTPONE THE ELECTIONS OR FORGET THE LEAGUE AND CALL THE ELECTIONS; SINCE THE TWO ISSUE CAN NOT BE MAPPED TOGETHER AT ALL COST.”
SSMB SHOULD BAN GOR MAHIA FROM THEIR STADIA ;AS KPL ORDERS FOR THE NEXT THREE HOME & AWAY FIXTURES IN AN EMPTY STADIUM. THIS WILL GIVE OUR PLAYERS ROOM TO PERFORM MINUS THE QUACKS.
My take from where i sit derives all what is happening to have some bearings to the forth coming {AGM}elections. All of a sudden i have noticed since we played BANDARI away in MOMBASA; that our supporters have been bought into various camps aspiring for leadership positions. Even in this very blog post we have some individual who never fail to mention their preferences.
Why was AR & G.BWANA running for their dear life just because we failed to score a goal.The technical bench and players was under siege from unruly fans. Some candidates will want to destabilize the clubs achievements at all cost so that to out smart their opponents.
If the issue at stake is all about winning the league, then how comes after drawing two matches in a a row then “GOR MAHIA IS A HOUSE UNDER FIRE.
And i politely ask; from who? and whose interest are they acting?
It is none other than the aspiring candidates of which some are imposters as the so called “GOR PLAYER” in this blog site.
Suddenly this AWILO’S “CHOKORA’ issue mushroomed from no where and the guy used to work at Kenya railways, has a plot in RUAI amongst other investment. The aspirants are slowly injecting some mistrust between the office and fans at this crucial moment.
WITH THE ELECTION AROUND THE CORNER AND AS THE LEAGUE BECOMES COMPETITIVE I BELIEVE AT SOME POINT ONE CAMP WILL SABOTAGE THIS CLUB; SO AS TO IMPRESS ON THE SO CALLED “FAKE VOTERS”.
I appeal to foot ball fans to observe a sense of sobriety and moral maturity during matches and as Jaupanda says @2 above that foot ball is competitive and each team goes for victory, as such we should accept the results with tolerance if such does’nt favour your expectations.
However the absence of Rama and Dan will be a big headache to the bench particularly in asituation where Kiongera, Mutiso or Kevo one or two can not be fielded. Over tis Idont need any explanations from the EC since the damage is already done.
I hope we still stand a chance to be champions. Dont lose hope guys lets chear the boys on.
You cannot win all matches you win some and you loose/draw some its the beauty of the game .
I see it differently ” When you feed a hyena / a snake it will eventually turn on you”For 3 years AR,Bwana & the EC have maintained a hear and see no evil attitude as thugs caused untold suffering & even loss of life to fans. But now that one of them is attacked “photos are going to be handed over & trying to beat a club official is a serious offense”. Sorry but to me serves these hypocrites right that the thugs turned on you. Dig deep enough & you may find its infighting among the bloated office.
To me da blame falls on Lavatsa and da technical bench.Lavatsa must improve on his scoring abilities and ball movements.Am never a fan of this guy,simply because da guy will ever frustrate u whenever u have a mood of watching ftbol.To me he is alwaz there to fulfil da FIFA rule of 11 players.Da hve since ixt his striking position 2da mid simply becoz he cant get on da score sheet.Da TB shld get him back to striking position orf he loose his no.secondly,Anguyo even shld not appear on da bench da TB shld get rid of him next season coz here at Gor we need performers not jokers.
But what has the police/clubs done with the footage from the media.E.g the AFC thug who attacked the referee, the gor thug with a blue seat at jana’s game etc. ama it must b CCTV, HOW DOES BEER ENTER?
How did fans single out Bwana if its not a fellow EC member leaking sensitive info?
Why does AR enquire abt Rama’s whereabouts frm the GK’s trainer instead of the TM?
MY KEYWORDS R”ARRESTS” 2 THE POLICE & “STRUCTURES” TO GMFC FANS.
YES LETS ELECT A LEAN EC OF EX-LEGENDS WITH A CEO & FINANCE MANAGER
I hope the house is not crumbling. As @OGANGO TRAILER has put it while AR and co are trying to win the league (albeit with lots of internal confusion) some purpotedly Gor lovers are busy campaigning for office. The common sense is that if Gor win the league then the current office have a head-start. But if they don’t then the other group will be elected by emotional fans then we go through another cycle. Mind you very few people will gun for Gor office unless they have a target in mind i.e. political office or just making their names. I hope the contetants like Dr. Adede will speak at this time and condemn the hooligans or is he seeing them as potential voters?
I have a hunch that all along the EC knew about Rama and Danny leaving but were not sure if the situation will turn like this. Now is the time for finger-pointing
I don’t support goons, but Bwana and the office are to blame for our short performance lately. Bwana as the CEO of the club we were at a point that needed just little strengthening by signing three experienced players. Bwana made sure that he went for players he can earn commissions from.Can Oboya help us now,where is Ronald, Wanyonyi and others where are they. Then do we have bench power? The medicine of hooliganism is to recruit well,not to eat money from the gate. Peter Opiyo would have saved us. At this point goes a head by saying that they wanted to take Rama for 1m then we refused so they added us 2m. How can you sell Rama for 2m?
BWANA AND THE OFFICE YOU CANT SOLVE HOOLIGANISM BY TAKING PHOTOS, DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THE CLUB STOP LOOKING YOUR STOMACH FIRST.
Courtesy of gorfc.com
Gor Mahia has confirmed that indeed there has been interest expressed by Qatari Division 2 side Al – Markhiya to sign Kenyan international Rama Salim.
Speaking to futaa.com, the club’s vice chairman Faiz Ochieng noted that the club inquired for the forward’s services and in the preliminary talks, the club offered to get him for one million shillings, which the Tusker Premier League (TPL) side rejected.
Upped offer
The Qatari club then upped their offer to two million shillings but as Faiz puts it, nothing is signed and the club’s officials are supposed to land in Nairobi for talks either today (Tuesday 30 July) or tomorrow, after missing a flight on Monday 29 July.
He said, contrary to speculations that Rama has already left, the former Congo United star is still in the country and added that if the deal proves to be fine for both parties he will be allowed to leave with the club’s blessings.
Confirmation
-It is true that Al – MarkhiyaSports Club, a Division 2 League side from Qatar has inquired about Rama. They initially offered us a million but we felt Rama’s valuation is way past that and they thus increased it to two million.
-However, nothing is signed with them and Rama has not yet left to join the club. The club’s representatives are supposed to come over today or tomorrow for detailed talks. They were supposed to come Monday but they missed a flight.
Open deal
-This is an open deal and contrary to speculation we are not hiding anything. Everything will be done in the open for the good of the club, fans and everyone involved. If the deal is right we will grant him our blessings, he told futaa.com.
Rama is currently Gor Mahia’s top scorer with five goals and has been instrumental in the team’s rise to the top of the league.
Now we have to pay 2.1m. Hope the goons will be available if called for Harammbee.
Ogango is right. We choose elections or the league. Previously i have chosen money and some people got very unhappy with my position. Why should we celebrate a win when we read about players going home dead broke.
If as a club since 1995 we would have focused on making money, we would have won the league 10 times. We all watch CECAFA and recently watched COSAFA. Can we honestly say that we have a championship wining team? And if we win here, where else can we win? Let us support the players who have gotten openings to also make a decent living out of soccer. Let Rama and Serenkuma move on if they are signed. One day we may reap the cash.
Let the league be. Let us sell them all and get new ones. We couldn’t even afford Opiyo but with my proposal, we can have 20 Opiyos no sooner.
After selling Masika, we got a ‘gem’ in Owino ‘Ja Shirati’. How i wish we can sell him now. We can get three new Owinos. We need a well oiled war chest to challenge Kenya and Africa. Not this funny team and EC that needs ‘Tok Komwanda’ in order to win. That was the real reason for destroying Kasarani seats.
Violent fans punished in Morocco
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05 August 2013, 19:01
More than 130 people accused of street violence before a football match in Casablanca, Morocco have been given sentences up to three years in prison, the Kingdom’s news agency AMP said on Monday.
Only three of the 134 accused were acquitted by the Court of Appeal of Casablanca, while 17 were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 6 months to 3 years
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This is what we need in Kenya, especially on Gor and Ingwe fans. But knowing our law enforcement this is a tall order
@ 14 Dan Original Thank-you very much 4 that article. LET THE POLICE ARRESTS CRIMINALS AND ALL THIS WILL NONENSE WILL STOP
THIS IS VERY BAD BEHAVIOUR FROM US, REALLY BAD. THE QUESTION IS HOW LONG WE WILL TAKE TO STOP THIS-YOU SEE ULTIMATELY WE WILL STOP IT, VIOLEMCE ISN’T THE FUTURE!!!
There is just so much confusion, and contradictory statements from the EC. One member of the EC says that they are aware of the Rama deal, and yet another member says that they are not aware of the deal …. it is obvious now that the EC is greatly divided, and that seems to be the root of most of the problem that we have in the club. A house divided shall not succeed !
It is a pity that we have waited for several years to win the ultimate prize, and now we are on the verge of not attaining it because of narrow selfish interest …. why can’t we wait and win the leauge first before we start all these sideshows that do nothing but bring the club down.
Go Gor !
Go Gor !!
Go Gor !!!
I dont think that Rama is worth only 2m kshs.I dont think also that that zimbabwean winger is better than Rama to fetch more money as transfer fee.If tarumbwa would fetch more than 100000 dollars then Rama also should not fetch less than 100000 dollars.Players should also learn to remain faithfull to clubs so that clubs can valuate them as their assets. We need Rama more than any team and when any team wants him should pay atleast 10million kshs to have his services.When will we learn soccer business.
The violent Gor supporters are not genuine going by their action. How can you claim to be with the team during all times while at the same time causing more harm to the team’s dignity, unnecessary fines and ban on the facilities. lets pray for KOGALO.
Everything Remaining constant the league is “MARWA”. Hate, Dishonesty, Politics is what is going to cost us the league. I was thinking we have some good guys who can offer free labour to fix those broken chairs at kisirani, Lets mobilize ourselves as a sign of solidarity with the club. Remember not ALL K’Ogalo fans are thugs but among us there are hiring’s. This will save GM from paying the whole 2.1M demanded by the SSBM. Any other person who can source for cheaper but better seats out there?
The fans had no reason at all to destroy property at Kasarani. People should stop taking bang to watch soccer. We need discipline in and out of the stadium