Omondi “Korea” to assemble U19 team
Former Gor Mahia goalkeeper Charles Omondi “Korea” has been assigned the task of assembling the Gor Mahia U19 team that will play in the KPL U19 tournament starting on August 10. This is according to futaa.com
The selections will be conducted by trials. I urge all players who are interested in playing for Gor Mahia in the KPL U19 tournament to avail themselves for trials tomorrow (Friday), Omondi told futaa.com. I will select 25 players who will then undergo further assessment over the weekend before I select the final squad, he added to the blog.
The trials kick off at 1600 Hours at the Police Band Grounds in South B, Nairobi.
Korea himself was a member of the first ever Kenya U16 team in 1984. This is the team that visited Korea. It was that trip that earned him his nickname. He became Gor Mahia’s starting goalkeeper following the departure of the legendary David Ochieng “Kamoga” in 1989. Much like his namesake Tirus Omondi, he was a showman who thrived in showing off his acrobatic skills. He would dive full length to save even the simpler shots. He would later leave Gor Mahia in 1992 to join Kisumu Posta before returning again in 1994.
He was recently the goalkeeper trainer of Gor Mahia before he left. This year he is the coach of FISA
I have my reservations with the adhoc nature of doing things by the “executive community”.
Isn’t any serious 19 year old already connected to a club, also what about the talent outside nairobi.
Am gald this “youth” money draining ploy appears separate from the main team activities.
Thx AR for 1 year 29.5m contract deal with Tuzo.
1.COME NEXT ELECTIONS VOTE IN TEAMLEGENDS I.E OBWAKA, LULE,SIANGA,MAKAMU,ETC UPTO 5 OFFICIALS
2. IF ATTACKED/CARJACKED AGAIN LET THE GREEN ARMY HOLD A HUGE PEACE MARCH
EC says the ‘new tuzo deal ‘ is not enough to cover their costs which run into Sh60million and adding that they are at the moment looking for two more sponsors to come on board……….
Here is my comment……make tuzo a gold sponsor to pay for 1st team players and coaches salaries, get another platinum sponsor perhaps to pay for 1st team hotel/travels and players/coaches win bonuses and get a bronze sponsor to pay for new talent/new acquisitions/youth development and related expenses.
So EC does this solve your problems ?
We need to address this issue of sponsors once and settle to serious business
Hurriedly assembled U19 to participate in the tournament then…………….After the tournament they troop back to their village or what? Is somebody out to justify that an activity did take place and expenses incurred are genuine. This is one way of fleecing money by the organizers because teams do not have U19 including GM period. The tournament is illegal Abinitio
so EC prefers quick fix methods. so is ‘korea’ now answerable to gor ec. ‘korea’ wants a shortcut to glory and gor has provided one. nothing against him but for someone who purports that he is working with the youth, he shud know that this is not the way to start a youth programme. gor EC shud know better. all the same wish you the best.
Someone should answer Oduor12’s questions:
1. Isn’t any serious under 19 already attached to a team?
2. Are these under 19s who can play football only found in Nairobi?
Let me add the third: Could that role not have been given to Siang’a? (I have nothing against Korea, it is just that we have seen what Siang’a can do with the youth).
Finally EC, please retrieve Wuonpap’s blueprint on youth structures, start a youth team of 16 to 19-year olds and implement the blueprint with serious consideration of Jakoyo’s proposal.
I also don’t see the need of hurriedly forming the u19 if after the tournament it will be no more. The tournawent organizers could have mad early planning with the clubs.
My take is let whoever forms the team form what is important is to keep the team after the tournament guys don’t argue too much don’t be perfectionists as Rome was not built in one day.
On Tuzo the deal is exclusive i.e. if Kogalo gets another sponsor on board the tuzo guys will claim breach so they should wait until the expiry then perform on the field of play fans behave well like the club MUST be non political non racial and non tribal then look for three categories of the sponsors Jakoyo is talking about,also the club MUST employ a finance director to account for the gate collections cos i have a feeling that the club is able to raise kshs.4,000,000.00 a month on gate collections alone i.e.kshs.48,000,000.00 a year then tell me how much does tuzo give Kogalo a year? For that reason ticketing becomes a critical issue from there the club can move on and be able to negotiate better deals with sponsors but the moment ticketing is left in confusion rogues benefit but imagine even the kind of money they make doesn’t help them so it becomes a total waste.
If the club remains a beggar then it is the choice of the man in charge especially if you look at the fan base which is money……ofisi amkeni ama mwende home and let guys who can revolutionize the way the club is run as for Rachier mtoto wa kwetu i think he has done his bit quite well and should now rest cos we now need some one who can run the club as a professional unit without fear or favor hakuna njia ingine… if you don’t understand let ma ask who do they run Orlando pirates or even esperence de tunis hata TP Mazembe in the Congo or even Azam hapa TZ then you will know what is wrong at Sirkal!!
Personally I see no problem with the path taken by the EC on the U19. As far as I know there is no team with an U19 team as they only have affiliated junior teams.
If we can affiliate with Upper Hill the way we did then even better. The problem is that managing a school team can be challenging because they also have their sports programs aside from the academics. As it is now we cannot afford to have a fully fledged youth as we don’t have the capacity and capability. It could be easier said but without resources no way.
On the sponsorship the gentleman who wanted to bring in a sponsor from SA now it the time since the new TUZO deal allows GM to have co-sponsors.
Can someone confirm to me that the Shemeji derby has been moved to 25th August
Sserenkumma says he will be away for only a few days. Bill Wabz where are you?
@paw akuche your calculations yawa jopuonj are back please consult statisticians (accountants) i beg to disagree with your assumptions e.g. league game aren’t played 12 calendar months in a year there are breaks for mid season, fkf tournaments,top 8, national team among others and not all matches are home games that we control our gate collections. we only have 15 (fifteen)games at home every season but do agree that solution should be sort and implemented yesterday to boost our gate collection. we also need fans education on attendants, time keeping and self discipline. let curb out alcohol,drunkers and bhang smoking inthe stadium. we need to introduce alcohol blow and frisking at the gates
@Oyugi wuon Akuot I totally agree with you on education of Gor Mahia fans. What I witnessed in our Wednesday match against Chemelil and on Saturday against Stima left me very disappointed.
Our EC should adapt another approach regarding fan misconduct. Oduor12 has suggested a peaceful demo. Personally I go for that and much more. We cannot leave matters into the hands of police who I believe are working at the behest of a patronage that is only too happy to see more of this negative publicity of the core Gor Mahia community.
The Executive Community’s argument that Gor Mahia is not responsible for what happens outside the stadium may be logical but very counterproductive. They should re-think their stand and adapt a more hands-on approach regarding this hooligan menace. Gor Mahia’ s image and reputation is suffering irreparable damage under this EC’s watch and it is them that have the direct mandate to protect or repair the Gor Mahia brand because they are better placed more than anyone else. Who is the loser at the end of the day if they leave it to the police? I suspect that the powers that be are only very happy to see Gor Mahia fans inflict as much political damage as possible in some quarters and that is why we may wait until the cows come home for the police to act.
How about experimenting with deploying clearly identifiable Gor Mahia marshals to escort the jubilating or mourning fans back to town, along Jogoo road? This may or may not be expensive but it shall have saved both lives and the image of the club and the community and this way we may not have a repeat of the following incidents and even much more that I never witnessed:
1.A well-known K’Ogalo fan who wears a Neymar hair style and is very prominent in the VIP side was molesting motorists along Jogoo Road with careless abandon by placing the landline telephone handset that he normally carries along, on car bonnets. Standing right in front of the car, he would take his time to tuck in his K’Ogalo jersey, sit on the bonnet and then proceed to make a lengthy ‘telephone call’. Of course the poor motorist would be intimidated into a stop and flow of traffic would consequently be held. And his female partner who was loudly very abusive to motorists?.
2.A young man who, in full public view, was chased amidst insults and catcalls by jubiliating Gor Mahia fans around Machakos bus stop simply because he happened to carry two live cocks.
3.One gang of intoxicated, stone wielding and vuvuzela blowing fans in K’Ogalo colours descended on unsuspecting decently dressed women walking on this road bordering Kamukunji Police station. In full view of the tense and scared Kenyans who had sought refuge at Kamukunji Police station following the Muthurwa fight, these youths proceeded to touch the women indecently on their bottoms or stroked the women’s bottoms with vuvuzelas while speaking dholuo. One woman was badly touched everywhere in the presence of a roughly 10-year-old girl who probably was her daughter. YOU CAN IMAGINE THE LOOK OF TERROR IN THE GIRL’S EYES AND HER MOTHER’S EMBARRASSMENT.
4. Those who are agitating for a fight should know that at Nyamakima one of these youths was almost being linched after threatening to stone peaceful matatu personnel who were busy at work. Of course they were from a different community and they were spoiling for an opportunity to “work on these silly ja…..s”. The most tense moment came when other matatu crew blocked the road and declared that the youths would only gain passage after discarding the stones. Those who accepted to be disarmed were allowed to proceed peacefully, though with insults. Those who refused had to find an alternative route to the STATUE.
5. How about deliberately distorting car side mirrors on the way from Nyayo stadium that Wednesday night?.
The solution will only come from a hands-on approach by every decent member of the Gor Mahia family. What this youths need is someone they recognize to encourage them into restraint, and that is what fans education is all about.
BAREFOOT BANDIT,
WHAT YOU SAY IS TRUE. I WAS A FAN OF THE STADIUM GAMES, I STOPPED GOING TO THE STADIUM AND OPTED TO BE A SOFA SET BRANCH MEMBER SINCE MID LAST YEAR.
HANDS ON APPROACH IS NEEDED. TO THE GOR FAMILY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU WILL GO HOME, BE IT A LOSS OR A WIN, ALONE IN FACT.
LET US BE CAREFUL HOW WE CONDUCT OURSELVES OUTSIDE THE STADIUM, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US AND THE LARGER OUTSIDE FAMILY KNOWN AS KENYA. WE NEED THEM IN AS MUCH AS THEY NEED US, NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
TO THE GOR OFFICIALS, YOU ARE LOSING REVENUE IN THE LONG RUN IF SENSIBLE, PEACE LOVING FANS, WANNABE FANS ABADON THE STADIUM.
BAREFOOT BANDIT, WE SHOULD IMPLEMENT WHAT YOU SAY FULLY.
AMEN.
@no.12..Barefoot bandit.Very good exposee!!It doesn’t make sense celebrating a win or cursing a loss by molesting women and destroying peoples property and doing all sorts of uncouth acts.Its a senseless and barbaric act that should be condemned in the strongest terms possible and the law enforcers should be instructed to swiftly deal with the culprits!!
Most of us are peace loving fans who want to grow the GOR MAHIA brand but there are a few hooligans in our midst hell bent on making sure that does not happen and we MUST deal with them accordingly!!
@Barefoot what you are saying is what most of us in Gor are refusing to accept. That some of our fans are a pain in the a.. of the members of the public. You have even given them ‘live’ examples of the fans we know. My problem is that our EC i.e. Faiz and G. Bwana are always very fast to condemn the attacks on Gor fans but not the other way round. Faiz even had the odesity to petition police to ‘man’ the roads well because Gor fans were going to Msa after the nakuru hijack!! Something that does not even happen to ordinary kenyans. How absurd.
From what I know nobody will attack you unless you provoke them or if they have another motive. For tomorrow I expect the EC to use the radio, stadium public address, fliers etc to tell our fans to behave and not assume that the fans are more sinned against than sinning.
@Barefoot bandit: that’s exactly what happens. it’s unfortunate how the EC keeps defending these characters… but one day the repurcussions will be defeaning. it’s a pity that i cannot wear a gor jersey on such days and city stadium is now a no go zone. the lost income thse ‘zealots’ are causing gor is big. how one wears a fake adidas brand then beats up a hawker for selling one! how does one wear fake adidas shirt yet the income never helps gor in any way, then go ahead to violently declare your admiration for gor… yes, EC have a very big role to play in this. unfortunately their heads are buried in the sand.
BFB this is one of the best posts to have come from you and I just wish that Kogalo supporters(real and pretenders) would stop a bit and take stock of what has been happening before,during and after the matches. “Bad” is definitely an understatement, horrible probably and indeed it is scaring to say the least- the bang smoking,the careless insults, the inconvenience to motorists, and to other Kenyans innocently going about their businesses, young kids on their mamas backs, old men ambling around weakly, mamas old enough to be either our mothers or grandmothers are all harrased in equal measure, and all in the name of GOR MAHIA!!!!!!
Sometimes if you just stand aside and watch what these yobs do, one wishes he was not associated with them in any way, but you are also wearing the same green as them. Last March we commented here that this is a tragedy waiting to happen,it has not, forget about last weekend, that was a picnic. The big one is coming if we don’t change – our songs,our gestures,our whole attitude.And anybody calling foe a fight back is terribly out of mind,most sober fans will not fight you and am not seeing police supporting you.If anything one of these days you will be arrested en masse and when that happens,you will be on your own. Do you think that we are superior to other Kenyans just by being Gor supporters? No, and we have no right to insult any body big or small. LET US CHANGE if we want to be respected,this we should do like yesterday.
Let be serious and HOLD THIS EXECUTIVE COMMUNITY/KPL/FKF TO ACCOUNT
1. Can the branches take down the names of the “youths” recruited by Korea & Co. and monitor how many (youths coz even the ages can’t be verified} will ever make it to the K’galo’s main team. The same goes for most teams taking part.
Why not support the Sakata Ball and Airtel programmes
This youth tournamnent is biggest CORRUPTION by KPL & FKF and it is siphon money collected from the TOP * tournament.
Commissioners Irene Keino of EACC WHERE ARE YOU
My appeal:
ARRESTS. ARRESTS, ARRESTS
LET THE GREEN ARMY HOLD A HUGE MARCH/ DEMO (INVITING THE INTERNATIONAL PRESS, YES COZ LOSS OF LIFE AND THE EXPOSE BY BFB ARE UNACCEPTABLE) WITH THE FOLLOWING KEY MESSAGES
A) POLICE SHOULD ARREST ANY ONE SMOKING BHANG/ALCOHOL IN / OUT OF THE STADIA.EC SHOULD FACILITATE ACCESS OF POLICE IN STADIA.
B) POLICE SHOULD ARREST ANYONE WHO BEHAVES IN A DISORDERLY MANNER – EC IF YOU INNOCENT ON GATE CRUSHING THEN ENGAGE THE POLICE
Finally, Let’s give Team Legends a chance come next elections. Why risk our beloved K’galo to UNKNOWNS. We’ve Obwaka,Sianga,Lule, Makamu, Bassanga.
Courtesy Futaa.com
Muthurwa Market attacks: The other side of the coin
The other side of the Muthurwa Market attacks
(Photo: (Gor Mahia FC))
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In recent times reports of ugly incidents involving Gor Mahia fans and traders at the Muthurwa Market have headlined sports news in the country, with the Gor Mahia fraternity blaming the traders on most occasions of plotting to attack the fans. Futaa.com sought to hear from the other side – the traders and police.
The search for answers started at the Kamukunji Police Station, under whose jurisdiction Muthurwa Market falls. Here we sought the Officer Commanding the Station (OCS) Mr. George Mureithi who was not in the office at the time.
Tight lipped
On the promise by those at the station that he was on his way, we waited to no avail and decided to call him but he would remain tight lipped on the matter, instead directing that for protocol reasons, his superior, the Central Police Station Officer Controlling Police Division (OCPD) Mr. Patrick Oduma be sought for comment on the same.
-I am out of the office and I won’t be back until Monday, he said.
-On the matter of the rowdy fans, I can’t make a comment on it and I would only direct you to talk to my boss Mr. Oduma. That is how we deal with the media, he advised.
Blame on fans
Attempts at reaching Mr. Oduma proved futile as he was not in office and didn’t answer calls but a number of officers at both stations offered to speak on condition that their identities are not revealed with their underlying opinion blaming Gor Mahia fans for the whole mess.
-Those fans are just rowdy; that’s a fact. Whether they win or lose we always expect trouble because with a win they will want to trample on everyone with their joy and when they lose they transfer their frustrations and agony on the innocent people.
Political
-It gets particularly bad when they turn it all political and demand that whoever they meet sings to their tune. Their matches should be taken elsewhere – away from people’s businesses, a cross section of the officers offered.
The officers also pointed out that in most situations they fail to convincingly quell the chaos as they find themselves in an environment where they are understaffed and thus overwhelmed by the fans. However, when asked if they know of reports that a fan died in the Sunday 21 July skirmishes, they all refused to comment.
Overwhelmed by fans
-In many such occurrences we find ourselves in situations where we are few and are overwhelmed by the fans but still we must do something. That is why we at times shoot to scare them away.
-On the issue of a fan who is reported to have been killed, only the OCS and OCPD can comment on that, they offered.
Clear rivalry
From the traders’ point, we found out that there is a clear rivalry between them and the fans, to some extent the two groups’ similarities are minimized to the levels of one’s tribe and perceived political inclinations.
One Mr. Ngaruiya a trader who has borne the full brunt of the fracas pointed out that he has had to service massive losses after the Sunday chaos, which came weeks after he had just replaced glasses and frames that cost him about 20,000 shillings to put his business back on track.
Losses
-I have had to replace glasses and many other merchandise that was destroyed on Sunday by the fans to a tune of more than 20,000 shillings.
-I do not know anything about football, neither do I care about it so if my business is spoilt because of that I will do everything to protect myself, he said.
Machete for self defence
Another trader dealing with fruits, a Mr. Macharia, had a machete with him just in case rowdy fans struck and he said it was an option he considered after a previous incident that had seen his products snatched and others destroyed by unruly fans in an earlier incident.
-I have a panga because I have learnt from them (the fans) the hard way. They once passed by and ate and destroyed everything here so when they come I am well prepared to tackle them. This is my source of livelihood and I will not let it go down because of them.
-Tomorrow they have a game and we are prepared, he said.
Interruptions
Interviews with the traders were on most occasions interrupted by Nairobi City Council who made swoops arresting them for not being at their licensed positions in the market.
And on the Gor Mahia side, ahead of the Saturday 27 July clash at the Nairobi City Stadium, the club’s first vice chair David Kilo said the attacks are a concern and they have spoken to the fans’ groupings asking them to ensure maximum restraint before, during and after the game.
Security
He also revealed that the club’s management has requested the Nairobi County Commandant for increased police presence, among them General Service Unit (GSU) officers to ensure all goes well on the match day.
-We are very concerned at the way this whole matter is developing game after game and we have talked to the fans about it, asking them to exercise maximum restraint. We understand the seriousness that this issue comes with and we want the fans to finish everything at the stadium; all the celebration should be done at the stadium then they leave peacefully for their homes. We are very committed to a peaceful match day.
Gor Mahia’s request
-We have placed a request to the County Commandant to increase the police presence on Saturday in a bid to ensure everything goes on well. Normally we are given around 100 police officers but this time we have asked for 200 and GSU be included.
-Another issue of concern is also that most people take advantage of our numbers to cause havoc. They are not even Gor Mahia fans but hide in our numbers to cause problems, he told futaa.com.
Given the different angles to this whole issue, there is clearly, still a lurking danger that this menace will go on.
@bfb, there is other guys you’ve left out. One goes by the name Blacky, this guy sell bhang in broad day light at the terraces. Another call himself Baba mercy/anita, he leads the obscene songs and insults against other communities. How about one Jasuba? He is kind of leader to the group of thugs who sing to town.
The blame lies squarely on club chairman’s silence. He has never said a word on the whole issue of hooliganism and chaos at Muthurwa. He has been a good chair to the club but i see lack of decisiveness in him. He has let his juniors spoil what he has done. He main aim has been to deliver the championship to k’ogalo while caring less about club’s image. It’s high time he come out and show leadership or the club get a new chair in the next election
@Dan original: ur trying to make excuses for these rowdy fans. shud the economy come to a standstill just because gor is playing. where do u think these extra policemen shud be coming from? why does gor need extra security? ur simply admiting that alot of these fans a crooks and thats why a bid presence of cops is needed. what ppl are saying here that these crooks shud stop these habits and the EC is a major player here. so the hawkers carry panga’s … why? why do you find it so necessary to reflect the blame from the real culprits?
@Dinga, plse read my comments again and also refer to my previous comments and u will get my view on hooliganism. I’m happy that the EC has admitted that we have crooks in our midst. The worse thing is that we know them as fans but do nothing about it. The bad behaviours in the field are taken out there to members of the public who have nothing to do with Gor. The excuse that louts buy gor merchandise and then wreck havoc is all a lie. The crooks are amongst us and @barefoot has exposed some of them. Politics and ethnic abuses must be left out of Gor and the EC must hod a ‘peace’ talk with the fans and hawkers
@Dan: i do appologise for misunderstanding you.
@ barefoot “EC must hold peace talks with the fans and the hawkers” I want to support your sentiment. We must not depend on the Police to provide security.They are only there to provide detterent measures. We must first of all act responsibly as individuals. In that way we will be respected for it.Yes the EC may say that we do, but I think that we must keep reminding our selves of the need to be an attraction to others. We must therefore educate and confront those who perceive to lean towards causing havoc thus spoiling the name of our Gor Mahia that we love.