Gor Mahia head coach Johnathan McKinistry was left impressed with a number of players from the youth in trainingand he says he will incorporate some in the first team as the senior players who were suspended rejoined the rest of the squad ahead of the new season that commences in just under three weeks.
The record league champions suspended ten players two weeks ago after they staged a go slow in protest of the club’s decision to continue paying them half of their dues. The players argued that they expected to receive their full salaries after the club landed a three-year deal sponsorship deal with a gaming company but the management reengaged on their word and continued to pay them half a salary.
The players’ suspension was lifted last week and the players are back in training but in their absence, new coach McKinistry worked with the younger crop of players with a big chunk of them being players from the club’s junior. He was left impressed by a number of them who are now set to earn a place in big boys’ table according to the former Uganda Cranes boss who replaced Andreas Spier as Gor Mahia coach three weeks ago.
“The young players have competed well thus far. As such, some will stay with the first team, whilst others will return to the youth group and continue to be monitored with a view to giving them more opportunities so as to prove themselves in the future,” he told the Nation.
Gor are serving a FIFA transfer ban and will only be able to sign players in January 2023 and according to their new coach, he is focused on improving their current players and also work on a transfer strategy.
“As a head coach, the three key areas where I can have a big impact is on recruitment strategy, improvement of existing players and setting high standards. Obviously, the ability to launch our transfer strategy is something that we have to be patient with until January,” he added.