Report from goal.com
The player is the first to be given a deal by the club after the appointment of the former St George SC head coach
Gor Mahia head coach Manuel Vaz Pinto has explained why he proposed the signing of Brazilian striker Wilson Silva Fonseca to Gor Mahia.
The forward is the first player the Football Kenya Federation Premier League side has signed in the ongoing mini-transfer window and after the appointment of the Portuguese coach.
“I have seen Silva play before and always I have said that if you bring a foreigner he needs to be better than local players or gives qualities that are different to the team than the local lads,” Pinto told Radio Jambo in defence of Silva’s arrival.
“I cannot say his level is higher than the other strikers but what I said is that he is different from the others that we have.
“The foreigners have to be better of course that is what I have said. They need to bring some characteristics in the game and I can give you an example of Cristiano Ronaldo and Alvaro Morata at Juventus.
“They do not have the same characteristics, they are not the same but they are important for the team. Of course, Ronaldo scores more goals but Morata could be giving more spaces for Ronaldo to score.”
The former St George SC coach also praised a number of his players and explained how Sydney Ochieng and Alpha Onyango have earned his trust.
“Tito Okello missed a number of goals against Vihiga United but he scored in Kisumu two goals [against Western Stima]. Coaches cannot give some skills to the players what you can give is a general organisation,” he concluded.
“But I am happy for what they are doing for the team and if you ask me if they can improve the way they try to score goals, yes they can.
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“Alpha has won his opportunity and it is not that I gave him the opportunity, he fought and he deserves it. If you see something in the training, you have to give the player an opportunity. He and Sydney won these opportunities because they work very hard and I am very happy about the two guys because they are showing me what I want.
“It is not only about Alpha or Sydney I am happy about them all because of what they do and try to improve.”