The perils of roadside signings
Coach Frank Nuttall has been back for only three days but he wasted no time stamping his imprint on the club. On Wednesday he axed two new signings, Farouk Ssentongo and James Ohawa.
A source indicates that Nuttall The coach evaluated the squad and recommended that the two be released, he says the two are too slow and lazy thus falling short of the coach’s expectations and will not fit in his 2015 plans. This according to a report on futaa.com
Unknown Players – No trials
More than half of the players Gor Mahia signed in 2015 were hit or miss players. In many cases it appears very little is known about them. It is difficult to find any information about players like Taofiq Zachary, James Ohawa or Farouk Ssentongo.
Most big clubs typically invite players for trials before they sign them. In the case of Gor Mahia it appears they offer contracts first before seeing what the player is about. Note that chairman Ambrose Rachier indicated that all the players signed have been offered contracts. This is an issue Gor Mahia has to be careful about because FIFA always sides with players when arbitrating between a club and a player whose contract has been terminated. With this kind of carelessness, Gor Mahia could be on the hook to pay salaries of players who are no longer with the club, something Gor Mahia cannot afford.
One can only hope that the contracts have not been signed or they have an “Out-Clause”.
Its also worth noting also that Chairman Rachier indicated that Frank Nuttall was kept in touch with the rest of the technical bench
The curious case of James Ohawa
How this guy ended up at Gor Mahia is quite a mystery. He was supposedly signed from Mombo FC, a team that is not even in Uganda’s top tier. How did a player who does not feature in Uganda’s top league end up at the KPL champions? It stands to reason that if Ohawa was such a good player, he would have been scouted by one of the top Ugandan sides before he ended up at Gor Mahia.
Farouk Ssentongo
The case of Farouk Ssentongo is slightly more understandable given that he young and has shown some potential. He first came to the limelight when he played in Uganda’s Copa Coca Cola. Upon joining Gor Mahia he showed some determination.
“I came here for a challenge and will not disappoint Gor Mahia fraternity. As a footballer, each player wants to make an impact. I knew I will get a bigger challenge as a player because this is a club preparing for continental duty and I want to be of help to the team in the Champions League.”
“I have played in a competitive and lean league in the United Arab Emirates and I know I will fit in well in the Kenyan league. I will give my best and replicate what my countryman Geoffrey Kizito did for this glamour club,” he said a few days ago.
It is therefore surprising that he would show laziness or lack of effort on the field. Perhaps it is part of the learning curve of a young player.
Where does that leave the club?
The good news is that coach Nuttall appears to think that Taofioq Zachary who is the club’s most expensive signing is of a calibre high enough to stay at the club. The other good news is that the decision was taken before the CAF deadline for submitting player names for the 2015 Africa champions league.
It is also possible that coach Frank Nuttall has taken this action to put all players on notice that if they do not shape up and work hard, they will either be axed or they will find themselves perpertually on the terraces.
There was a time when Gor Mahia were Astute at signing.
Back in the 1970s, 1980s and even 1990s, Gor Mahia had a network of scouts all over the country. These scouts would recommend players for trials at Gor Mahia. In those days several players were signed from grassroots teams and quite a number made an impact on the team. Players like John Okello “Zangi”, David Ochieng, came direct from lower division teams.
In some cases, players were recomended by fellow players. Peter Dawo came recomended by his fellow Railways players when he played at the KECOSO games. Yours truly once spoke to Owino “Kempes” and he told me that it was he who recomended George Onyango “Fundi”. At the time Fundi was still a secondary school student.
Gor Mahia also had a ready made pipeline in the form of Kisumu Hotstars from whom Gor Mahia signed several players as far back as Allan Thigo, Bobby Ogolla, Charles Otieno and Anthony Ndolo.
It was also commonplace for Gor Mahia to sign players directly from school because their network of scouts often attended school games. The two supernovae Sammy Owino and Nahashon were both scouted while in school. In fact Lule started to play for Gor Mahia while still a secondary school student. The Daily Nation dubbed him the “Schoolboy Wonderboy”. Sammy Onyango was also at Gor Mahia while still studying at Equator High school. While the likes of George Nyangi, Charles Omondi “Korea” joined Kogalo right after finishing at Kakamega high and Githumu respectively.
In those days Gor Mahia was known for signing young players with potential and moulding them into great players. If you look at the squad that won the Africa cup in 1987, you will find that almost none of them were established before they joined Gor Mahia. Many came unknown, were tried out by Len Julians and moulded into high calibre players.
And more recently it is James Sianga who was the last person to carry out the tradition of using grassroots scouts to recruit players who would then come to the club for trials.
where was the coach all those time? he was very busy demanding unrealistic pay hike and enjoying in his native Scotland. he should simply work with what in his disposal. you can’t blame the EC on this. they were not a ware of his comeback. blessed
HABARI NDIO HIYO,COACH KNOWS WHATS NEEDED IF HE SAYS THAT HUWEZI PLZ POLEPOLE NA BROKER WAKO PACK N GO.THIS IS THE HOME OF CHAMPIONS.
I blame it all on club officials whom ve all turn to be scouts of the club,instead concentrating on their JD they interfere with Tb.thank u nuttal now every player must prove beyond doubt that he can fit in the team.GOD bless gormahia family.
The coach was suppose to be around to subject the players to trials before they are signed. Unfortunately, this did not happen.He opted then to be in his home country on a holiday.
Why did the EC rushed in signing the players without the final advise of the head coach? It appears we have several brokers in EC and they should be named and reprimanded. Why should the signings happen without the head coach? What are the roles of Assistant Coaches both Bobby Ogola and Frank Ouna? What are these two assistant coaches doing in Gor Mahia? They too should be send packing.
I blame the brokers we have in the club and this is the main reason why we need to institutionalise the club to be run in a more professionalised way than the current jua kali method where some officials and fans are busy denying Gor Mahia hard earned revenues from both gate collections and sale of merchandises.
Such brokers are normally paid by players from their sign on fees.
My issue with this club that I support is y is it that every year we buy more than 10 players n release an equal number mostly for free yet we claim that the club has no money! ! When will this club b run in a professional way that it deserves like what is happening in sofapaka n tusker? The coach should pin point the players he wants in the team not some selfish corrupt individuals who bring in fake player’s. This coming season competition is very stiff n this kind of sideshows will only derail us.
The mistake has happened, but let’s not condemn the EC like they have done nothing. We signed 17 players and the coach found 2 out of them are not suitable for his plan.
We can’t blame the coach coz he has Bobby and Ouna as assistant. There team manager and goalkeeper trainer who are all qualified coaches. What were they doing?
Frank Natall has a family when did you expect him to see them? During the season?
Sam Timbe of sofapaka went for a holiday till mid February 2015, are they not recruiting?
Some one has made K’ogalo his ATM, and this person must be named and dealt with accordingly .
EC please don’t wait for what happened in Kasarani to happen again.
I am truly thankful for:
1. Gor Mahia fan/members. You are the bedrock that sustains Gor Mahia. Your gate collections are understated then later a small portion of it is shamelessly redirected into the club as “Contributions from the EC”. Am sure sooner or later fans would have called this bluff i.e fake players.
2. Foreign coaches like Logarusic and now Nutall (BW had become too domesticated). Logarusic kicked out Rodriguez and now Nutall has stamped his authority.
This sends a loud message to the player of what is expected from them.
I tend to blame EC on this since if you remember GMFC has only returned to serious training with Nutall’s arrival. So Sir.JBO & Ouna also did not have the chance to vet the players.
The likes of El Mereik started preparations a month ago.
I remember Rachier saying the TB identified the gaps and its EC that filled them. Talk of building
All is not lost with the likes of Nutall.
We are so easily excitable in that even regarding the “sponsorship” we were jumping up & down that EC can meet the potential sponsors on a Friday and sign a kshs.63M sponsorship by the next Monday.
Hear me out very few compnaies can roll out the kind of money.
EC will still have to explain how they will handle the KRA saga coz sponsors will not accept their moeny to go toward paying fines.
The moment AR & EC will wake up, smell the coffee and start the GMFC Sacco (even with 500 members or less) and let it grow with TOTAL ACCOUNTABILITY & TRANSPARENCY THEN GOR MAHIA WILL HAVE A VOICE IN CECAFA/CAF.
Payment of this expensive TB & team will be a headache in 2015. The disparity(huge) of pay between the TB members and maybe even between players will play itself out this season.
We need to plan now, we need proper structures now managers not brokers
Guys i think our coaches are taking advantage over the poor structures of the team? All over the football world, coaches should have a directly involment in recruitment of new players……. here the likes of Logarusich,BM,Nuttal recruiting their players on SKYPE???? , rather than giving out to the executive his players wishlist before proceeding on unspecific without timeframe leave/holidays.
As much as we blame the EC I wonder what Bobby and Ouna were doing as the EC was recruiting these players? What if Nuttal didn’t come back? We=ould we still be waiting for a new coach to start the recruitments? What of the 31st Dec CAF deadline? Would they have waited for us to keep our house in order?
On the sponsorship I believe just like the sponsorship the EC and the potential sponsors are going through the legal procedure so that we don’t end up where we landed with TUZO and now Ingwe with MUMIAS. It’s better to take our time but get a deal with no loopholes like the previous one. I think the new sponsor should directly get involved with the tax issues
PURGE TO CONTINUE …
Michezoafrika.com can reliably learn that Gor Mahi’a’s preparations for 2015 continue to be rocked by scandals. The scandals do not auger well for the club rocked by allegations of insider deal brokering and mistrust among club officials.
The fate of Ugandan defender Israel Emuge remains unclear as he was absent on Thursday with sources indicating he may be on his way out of the club. however , According to club Chief Executive Officer Omondi Aduda, Emuge remains part of the club. Meanwhile, the technical bench is unhappy with a number of the new recruits and a seriously pursuing a striker.
Gattuso and Glay did not train in the morning for unclear reasons . “We expect them to be fit by next week,” said club assistant coach john Bobby Ogolla.
Coach NUTALL has furiously insisted the club must keep the limit of foreigners in the team and also ensure they register the required number of 30 by midnight 15th January 2015.
The coming of new crop of foreign players has complicated NUTALL plans as the names he had suggested before going on leave we’re never acquired. Ezekiel Otuoma did not join the club as the coach requested. Bernard Odhiambo, a younger brother to former Gor defender David Owino further complicates issues.
But the fate of other five new players remains unclear as some were absent on Thursday with sources indicating they may be on their way out of the club.
However, the club medical staff say the the five have minor injuries and the players will recover by the end of the week. ” we expect full house next week” , one medical staff spoke on anonymity to michezoafrika.com
1.Technically we really can’t blame Sr.Bob and Ouna. Though I doubt if they would have stood upto to the EC, local coaches simply don’t operate that way.
The EC never made the new signings available for assesment by the coaches.
2.You can’t even blame Nutall for his long holiday since it was with the approval of EC.
Proof is ever since winning the league the squad has not been assembled to training so where/how were Sr. Bob and Ouna to assess these players?
It was all board room decisions but it would be very sad if players identified by TB were overlooked by EC.
Someone asked where GM fans misbehaved. I suspect it was at a mammoth public rally at Bondo University held just before the burial of Fidel.
Meanwhile in Africa we never learn. How does EC sign players without TBs input. It appears there was a competition amongst the TB as to who signs who. Meanwhile, the damage has been done so we need to handle it in a mature way. In future, let the coach sign his players.
Lets not blame the EC,the coach ought to have been here to do the rectruitment.let him work with the players available.the EC has done its job,we cant keep heaping blame on the EC.
About the Fidel burial,i dont know what transpired but one thing i know for sure was that those were mourners and had nothing to do with Gor Mahia fc.
why is it that Jakoyo interested only on negatives? he keeps on with pros and cons which takes us nowhere. my brother Jokoyo, sometimes try to be positive. blessed
What you are reporting is your own story. The truth is
Newly signed Liberian defender Dikrir Glay and midfielder Collins Okoth “Gatusso” are already nursing injuries as Gor Mahia continued preparations ahead of the start of the 2015 season.
But the fate of Ugandan defender Israel Emuge remains unclear as he was absent on Thursday with sources indicating he may be on his way out of the club.
Okoth and Glay sat out the Thursday morning training; the former nursing strained muscles while the Liberian, signed from Thika this month, is also having a thigh problem.
However, the club medical staff say the two are not serious injuries and the players will recover by the end of the week.
“We expect them to be fit by next week,” said club assistant coach john Bobby Ogolla.
However, the fate of Ugandan defender Emuge remains unclear. Emuge was omitted from the list of retained players when the new employees were being unveiled.
According to club Chief Executive Officer Omondi Aduda, Emuge remains part of the club. Meanwhile, the technical bench is also pursuing a striker.
“The coach is still in need of a striker either a local or a foreigner. If it is a foreigner, we will have to let one foreigner to leave (read Emuge).”
We must keep the limit of foreigners in the team and also ensure we register within the required number of 30.
Emuge played a little role in Gor Mahia’s title winning run last season having been overtaken in the pecking order by Harun Shakava.
The coming of Glay and Bernard Odhiambo, a younger brother to former Gor defender David Owino, further complicates issues for the burly Ugandan.
Out of the 17 players signed, we may be lucky to get at least 7 very good players and 3 good ones. The 7 remaining ones are up and about. World over, the coaches and managers are responsible for the identification, signing and selling of players. It’s only in Kenya where you have the EC despite their limited knowledge of the technical and tactical requirements directly involved in the actual identification and signing of players. How go you expect a coach to work with players that he hardly knows!!!! It’s only hoped that we have witnessed this goof for the last time.
That’s from futaa.
If Nutall was away then EC should have entrusted Bobby and Ouna with the job. I believe the duo would have been in touch with Nutall before making a move. Trust me, some people at the EC would naturally rush to sign the players for their own publicity or as a cash cow stunt!!
Giving the task to the two would shift the burden to the TB who are the ones responsible for the performance on the pitch. Remember one thing, someone has to be responsible ultimately for the performance on the pitch and that person cannot be EC. It is the coach (whether he got backing from EC or not is a matter for discussion)
When will our EC learn.Give the coach a free hand then demand results! If you sign,you can as well coach period.
y do we blame Ec without thinking. If Frank have just signed a 2 yr contract. Where where wud he sign. Dont u pple think that even Nuttal was just sign by Ec just like other playrs . Y do we like to be so negative & claim to support this club. Or critisizing is supporting.
“Without thinking”.
If you take time and kindly jog your memory you will recall that Frank Nutall was offered the current contract after being put on trail and assessed last year.
Frank Nutall passed his “trails” very well so much so that very one wanted him back as GMFC’s head coach.
Therefore there is nothing “roadside” about Frank’s current contract but the same can’t be said about the EC’s role regarding the contracting players (without a known record) without subjecting them to trails.
Not trail(s) but trial(s).
A serious Coach identifies his players before going on leave. All this is crap. Do you go on leave from your workplace if you are on a serious assignments. Try that at your workplace and see if you have your job tomorrow. You will be fired. Lets be real. I have googled Ssentongo. He is good and a potential. Its Politics. Somebody wanted Brian Umony. He became expensive. We have won cups with young players. Kisumu boys and Kakamega high school leavers were bedrock of Gor and Afc. This signing fee thing has messed our players. The players we have are good. Lets not just critisize everything. Lastly a sacco is a professional run investment that can only contribute to Gor after making profits. I donot see how people will save and before returns on their investment give money to GOR
The coach had to take leave,everyone takes leave at sometime and those who remain behind have to carry on with the job.In any case he had no contract,you people get your facts right.Why crap?Bill Onyango eiiih yawa.So what do we get by criticizing left right and centre? Nothing!!!!!
We should encourage the team and the coach coz I believe they still have room for additions.Preparations now and not tomorrow, El Mereikh who are in the same competition jana drew with Schalke 04 of Gernmany, that is what preparations are about.
Bloggers, there is nothing wrong with criticisms. You want fans to say yes to everything happening in the club even if the EC and ideas are wrong? This is really sycophancy of the highest order and we will continue to talk our minds whether you like or you don’t like. Criticisms are always healthy and can help the EC not to make the same mistake going forward.
We will continue with criticisms and at the same time provide probable and viable solutions that can help the club
There are three things ailing the club and these include:-
1. Lack of transparency at all levels in the club both at the EC and joyrider fans
2. Uncoordinated office functions with no structures, vision and way forward for the club. For example what does Gor Mahia stands for in all fronts?
3. Poor communication to all stakeholders eg where are the club audited financial accounts and other statement of affairs
Gor Mahia is facing a major hurdle in their preparations for the 2015 season after it emerged that a number of newly acquired players are yet to sign contracts at the club owing to unpaid sign-on fees.
Gor unveiled 17 players on Thursday 8 January at their club offices situated at Nyayo Stadium and on Monday 12, they officially began their preparations for the 2015 CAF Champions League that kicks off in mid February and the Kenyan Premier League which the Football Kenya Federation has confirmed will kick off in late February.
Major hurdle
Things are however not so rosy at K’Ogalo as it has emerged that a number of the newly ‘signed’ players that were unveiled by management are yet to commit to the club owing to unpaid sign-on fees and are demanding that they be paid the money or be allowed to sign for other clubs interested in their services.
A source close to the club has revealed that a number of the new players stormed the club offices on Thursday 15 January demanding that they be paid their sign-on fees or they would leave the club before the new season kicks off.
Aucho signing
Among those who have not received their sign on fees is Khalid Aucho whose contract with Tusker FC expired at the end of the 2014 Kenyan Premier League season and opted to jump ship to the Green Army in search of ‘greener’ pastures.
The Ugandan is reported to have been promised a whooping Ksh 1.8 million as sign-on fees but is yet to receive a dime from the club. He is said to have vowed not to sign with the club until he is fully paid his dues.
Let’s believe evetything we read in the press at our own peril. Seen what is happening to The Star as a result of non-confirmed stories?
All the same I believe so long as the sponsorship contract is not signed we will still have these issues.
On the players they should know that the same zeal with which they demand their dues is the same one the fans/EC/TB will demand from them when the season starts
The manner in which unveiling was done was suspect in itself. What was the hurry for? Couldn’t they wait for the coach to be available yet he was in town? The choice of venue was a 10 by 10 room at Nyayo Stadium instead of the usual tradition of calling us to City Stadium to witness just before a friendly with say Super Loaf or Dandora United? As long us the EC is taking credit for the signing, things will not go well. I therefore suggest the coach assesses these players and decide who he wants to work with and who not to work with. In case contracts are signed then those not in coach’s plans should be shipped out on loan
I think the EC had better come out clean on 3 issues.
1.The 2015 wage bill for TB and players. My appeal is for 6,000 members(Sacco) to contribute 500/month and if Nutall is at a salary of kshs.1m/month then a another 1000 members contributing kshs.500 will be needed. There must be previledges to accruing to members in return for their contribution.
EC must act with speed to make this happen otherwise 2015 will be SALARIES THIS SALARIES THAT.
I thought Aduda said “priority” was paying signing fees. Now apparently that has not happened so hopely salaries have been settled upto date. I wouldn’t hold my breath!
2. When will the AGM be held?
3. What is the position on the Sacco?
This blundering and lack of focus is regressive. I think it also spills over during engagements with potential sponsors.
Why would a sponsor fork out kshs.63m per season.
Does the club have other sources of funds e.g gate collections and merchandizing.
Most sponsors would be put off if EC expects them to shoulder the full financial burden of running the club.
When EC presents its budget obviously any sponsor will ask if gate collections and other sources of income have been factored.
@ Ombeng Ombeng this could be a blessing in disguise. Whittle down the squad to 25 and only commit to players okayed by Nutall.
Also let’s stick to players & TB we can afford to pay “without having to rob a bank”. We gone back to a bloated squad & TB of pre-Logarusic day (Days of Zico)
WE LOVE GOR AND WE WISHT THEM ALL THE BEST.
THE EC MUST DO THINGS IN A TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE MANNER.
AND THE FANS MUST BE CIVIL!
I AM READY AND WILLING TO FINANCIALLY SUPPORT ANY INITIATIVE THAT WILL MAKE OUR CLUB VIABLE.
I AGREE WITH DAN. PLAYERS DEMAND YOUR RIGHTFUL DUES BUT THE SAME PRESSURE WILL APPLY ON YOU WHEN IT COMES TO PERFORMANCE.
KOGALO FOR EVER!!
I don’t support the Ec style of operation when it came’s to signing of player.this the work Tb,damage is already done.lets now rally behind the team,give them maximum required support.i belive in God this will be another good season for us.GOD BLESS KOGALO FAMILY.
We are the first runners up in the SOYA awards. I still believe we could have been number one since the voting was on SMS and we definitely have more fans that the winners KCB Rugby team.
The problem with us is that we spend more energy and time pointing out the errors of the EC, TB, etc and forgetting that as fans we also have a role to promote the club. I’m sure had we all voted and encouraged our fans to do the same we could have bagged the award. It’s such awards that give the club positive publicity which in turn attract sponsors. Unfortunately even our EC does not use the available media e.g. website to encourage people to do the same