Record Kenya Premier League champions Gor Mahia are in their worst form in years. Since June 20, 2021, the club has not tasted victory in the Betking Premier League and things are getting worse by day.
A heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Ulinzi Stars on Monday July 26 meant that the team slipped further in the race for a top four finish. K’Ogalo are now 8th on the log with 40 points, two above Nairobi City Stars who take on leaders Tusker FC on Friday.
Behind the scenes, it has been a case of shadow boxing with club officials tussling over who to handle finances and the team failing to attend regular training sessions.
Before their league match against Ulinzi Stars on Monday, the playing unit held a training session on Sunday without their interim coach Sammy Omollo ‘Pamzo’. The goalkeepers decided to conduct their routine training minus the keepers coach Jerim Onyango who is away on international duty with the national under-23 side Emerging Stars in Ethiopia.
The departure of long serving midfielder Kenneth Muguna to Azam FC and defender Charles Momanyi to Tusker has opened ways for other players who also want to quit the 19-time Kenya champions.
Most of the players who want out have not been paid full salaries for close to four months and have been surviving on handouts.
Gor Mahia, who will be representing the country in the CAF Confederation Cup next season, are already serving a two window transfer ban and also had their coach Vaz Pinto quit earlier this month.
With six matches remaining to the end of the season, K’Ogalo is hanging to finish in the top 8.
On July 31, Gor Mahia will be taking on their arch-rivals AFC Leopards in a dead rubber match. This will be the third Mashemeji Derby of the season. The previous two encounters have ended with both teams failing to find the back of the net even though Gor Mahia beat Leopards on post-match penalties in the Betway FKF Cup on July 4.
The latest results clearly show lack of spark and excitement in Kenya’s biggest match of the season and time seems running out for Ambrose Rachier.
in the eighth position on the 17-team league standings.
These average returns on the pitch and looming exodus has placed pressure and focus on long-serving club chairman Ambrose Rachier and team manager Jolawi Obondoi with the team also preparing to represent the country in the Caf Confederation Cup in the 2021/2022 season.