After snubbing a mega move to the record FKF Premier League champions last season, Austin Odhiambo has finally gotten his wish after he decamped archrivals AFC Leopards in search of continental football.
Gor Mahia are currently preparing for the second preliminary round of the CAF Confederations Cup and that could not be guaranteed by Ingwe who apparently lost the FKF Cup final to the former with Odhiambo missing a spot kick in the shootout.
Ever since the eventful afternoon at Nyayo stadium, the youngster has wanted a move from the Den and he made this threat real when he terminated his contract with Ingwe, with just over a year remaining.
Financial constraints have marred progress at Ingwe and Odhiambo who earned his first call-up to the National Football team Harambee Stars last year wanted stability.
Before joining Gor Mahia, he travelled to Mombasa with hopes of linking up with his former coach at AFC Leopards Andre Casa Mbungo but the talks broke down and there he jumped into the next SGR to Nairobi to try his luck at the Green Army.
The boy from Baba Dogo, in the South East of Nairobi, scouted by AFC Leopards in 2016 by then AFC Cubs coach Bonface Ambani and had a very good outing in the KPL under-20 football tournament that was staged at the Camp Toyoyo grounds in Jericho Estate, Nairobi. His partnership with Haron Nyakha and Vincent Oburu was one to savour and they did not dissapoint the faithful Ingwe fraternity.
He would then stay in the cold for a few months after failing to gain promotion to the senior team, as he threatened to fade away, Ambani rescued him once again by giving him a second chance at the Cubs and his outstanding performance led to him earning his first contract with Leopards in the latter stages of 2017.
His first top flight football was in 2018 and he stamped his authority after the departure of Whyvone Isuza to Wazito FC. He would soon earn a call-up to the National Football team Harambee Stars and that was the beginning of his rise to stardom.
What happened in 2020
With the global pandemic of Covid-19 hitting hard on everyone, Odhiambo just like the rest of the Ingwe team were vastly affected and he wanted out. Being a gem at the club full of youngsters, the Leopards slapped a Ksh 35 million tag on their most valuable asset then. Gor Mahia came knocking and were ready to dish out Ksh 10 million for his services, their rivals declined, adding Austin a longer stay in the Den.
He would then have a fantastic 2020-21 season but nothing to show about at the end of the day thereby quitting the club to join the club he loves most.
It is not one of the most controversial transfers between the two sides but this has sparked headlines across the country in the manner it happened. Gor Mahia really wanted a replacement for Kenneth Muguna and they looked no further but at Ingwe, snapping Odhiambo.
There have been business between the two sides previously with notable ones being those involving Eric Masika to Leopards in 2011 and Jackson Saleh decamping AFC Leopards for Gor Mahia in 2016.
AFC Leopards have also lost defender Yusuf Mainge to the 19 time Kenyan champions.