Gor Mahia agree to terms with Ulimwengu as Omalla plans to balance school and football
Gor Mahia Secretary General Sam Ocholla has told Nation Sport that Gor Mahia has agreed to terms with Burundian striker Jules Ulimwengu
Additional Reporting from the Nation
Gor Mahia Secretary General Sam Ochola has confirmed that the club has reached an agreement with Burundi striker Jules Ulimwengu.
Ochola said the striker is expected in the country in the near future but the two parties have agreed on personal terms and other details of a two-year deal have been finalised.
“Jules Ulimwengu is also in. We have reached an agreement with him and he will be our player next season,” he told Nation Sport.
Earlier this week, there were reports that the 21-year-old former Rayon Sport striker was on his way to K’Ogalo’s rivals AFC Leopards.
Player is yet to arrive in the country due to restrictions on international travel put in place due to the coronavirus pandemic. Flights between Nairobi and Bujumbura are yet to resume.
The acquisition of Ulimwengu now brings to three the number of foreign players K’Ogalo have signed in the past week. Others are Cameroonian midfielder Bertrand Ngafei and Ugandan forward Tito Okello.
Okello, Ulimwengu, school boy Benson Omala signed from Western Stima and former Kenya Under-20 international John Macharia are some of the additions to K’Ogalo’s attack line.
The quartet will fight for a starting berth with Nicholas Kipkiui, Clinton Okoth, Dennis Oalo and Kennedy Otieno.
Ochola also praised the signings the club has made so far, saying the new recruits will help Gor go past the group stages in the Caf Champions League next season.
The KPL champions have been busy since the transfer window opened last month. They have also signed Sydney Ochieng’, Andrew Juma, John Ochieng’, Kennedy Owino and goalkeeper Levis Opiyo.
Ulimwengu, was the Rwandan league’s top-scorer with a record 20 goals in the 2018/19 season and helped Rayon Sport win their ninth title that term.
He joined Chinese second tier side Shaanxi Chang’an Athletic on a one-year deal in June last year
Omalla to train separately
Newly signed Striker Benson Omalla tell sthe Daily Nation that he will remain in Kisumu to complete his studies while training on his own and will try to feature in as many matches as possible
Additional reporting from the Nation
New Gor Mahia schoolboy striker Benson Omala says coach Steven Polack will draw a parallel training program for him when the Kenyan Premier League matches resumes.
The form four student at Kisumu Day Secondary School signed a five-year contract with Gor on Tuesday, moving from Western Stima as the 18-time league champions continue to reinforce their squad for the next season.
The teenager faces a tight balancing act between his studies and league matches, especially since Gor has its base in Nairobi.
The 17-year-old attacker had an easy time playing for Western Stima because the club has its base in the lakeside city and hosted its matches at Kisumu’s Moi Stadium, which is just a short distance from his school.
Though Omala agrees it will be a big challenge, he is determined to work hard in class and replicate the performance he had at Western Stima with Gor in KPL.
“I am determined to achieve a lot with my team and at the same time excel in my studies. The coach will draw a program for me so that I can also do the same things as other players who will be training in Nairobi,” he said. “We will also arrange on how I can feature in the league games, including travelling logistics.
“I am really hopeful everything will go well so that I can feature in as many KPL matches as possible and replicate my performance by scoring many goals for K’Ogalo. It is a dream come true to play for this team,” he added.
Omala was in sparkling form for Stima last season, netting nine league goals before the season was prematurely halted due to coronavirus.
The former Manyatta United striker became the youngest player to win the KPL Player of the Month Award when he was crowned the best for the month of December 2019.
Omalla the national syllabus is the same, for you to put a remarkable performance in this season ,you would think of relocating to on of the Nairobi schools. Tafakari. Just like Jogoo did. Otieno otero etc.
Very good and mutually beneficial idea.
Interest of the club, Omalla’s academic interest and his career as a professional footballer will be catered for.
All that time spent commuting between Kisumu and Nairobi can be spent studying.
Our own Dr. William Obwaka and JJ Masiga of efusi are examples of how to balance academics and professional football.
Jamriambo….otero was already based in Nairobi so relocating was not in question here. As for omalla am in agreement with him that he continues in his abode and train separately under the virtual guidance of the coach, then travel for matches if need be. Wazo nzuri hilo.
Rumours of Polack having resigned or been sacked. Any confirmations?
Are we starting everything afresh.
That can be very sad.
Pollack was a very sober and stabilizing factor in GMFC.
Another 2 years at GMFC and he would have revolutionised the club.
The recent flurried recruitments seem very much unlike Pollack.
Like someone said, Pollack started drafting his exit letter when he insisted that players be paid and tabled a list of players he wanted signed.
Must touched raw nerves.
That said I hope he returns and EC lets him prove his worth on the pitch.
Hopefully someone isn’t trying that only they are indispensable in GMFC.
* trying to prove that….
Well put obuya. Omalla has a lot of time ahead of him. He is going into his final year in school. Is it such a big deal for him to maintain the status quo just so that he features for Gor? I don’t think so. Let the boy also try and finish his high school without so much of a fuss that some people are trying to create here!!