Gor Mahia: Kenyan league champions are now on the verge of making history

Since taking over the reins at Kenya’s most decorated club, the British coach has built a formidable side

Unbeaten in the SportPesa Premier League (SPL), still alive in the domestic cup as well as the CAF Confederations Cup, 2018 could yet be one of the most memorable years in the storied history of Gor Mahia.

The 1987 campaign where the club swept to the league, cup and now defunct CAF Cup Winners Cup (Mandela Cup) treble remains the benchmark of glorious success for the record 16-time domestic champions.

While a 17th title remains in sight for the team that enjoys a 12-point lead at the summit of the SPL having accrued 52 points from 20 matches with three games in hand over their closest rivals Sofapaka, K’Ogalo are in the last eight of the SportPesa Shield Cup and in good shape to seal a CAF Confederations Cup quarter-final berth from Group D.

However, all has not be rosy at K’Ogalo with the team oscillating from one crisis to the next almost as frequently as the sun rises, the latest blow being the freezing of their account over a Sh128m bill owed to the Kenya Revenue Authority.

A fortnight ago, Gor were forced to offer a grovelling apology to the regional football governing body, after their players boycotted the bronze medal ceremony having beaten Jeshi La Kujenga Uchumi of Zanzibar 2-0 in the 2018 Cecafa Kagame Cup in protest over being denied a share of the Sh1m prize for winning the tournament’s third-place play-off.

That came hot on the heels of the controversial transfer of popular striker and Rwanda international, Meddie Kagere, to Tanzanian giants Simba SC who also attempted to tap star midfielder, Francis Kahata, in moves that rocked the playing unit to the core.

During their ill-fated trip to Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania to honour the Cecafa tournament, lurid reports surfaced where the club was accused of rejecting their hotel as well as the changing room allocated to them prior to their semi-final loss to eventual champions Azam over stunning allegations of witchcraft interwoven with claims of unrest over non-payment of bonuses that have been simmering for months.

Disenfranchised players took club management to task claiming they had not received their share of the Sh27m the club received for making the Confed Cup group stages, Sh4.5m for winning the 2017 SPL in addition to Sh3m for bagging a second SportPesa Super Cup crown last month in Nakuru.

Add a choking fixtures list that has seen the team play an average of a game every 2.73 days in the last two months to the toxic mix to get the perfect ingredients of a crisis club.

Malta-born Briton

Nevertheless, the team has not imploded and continues to set domestic standards by turning in victorious results, notably, going without defeat on Kenyan soil since the turn of 2018, all because of the works of one man-head coach Dylan Kerr.

The Malta born 51-year-old retired English professional footballer has been an oasis of calm in the desert storm that has mired the local giants, managing the incredible feat of eking out massive performances from his players whilst rotating his match day squads like a kid taking their turn in the wheel of fortune.

Since arriving at K’Ogalo in July last year, Kerr has lost only one SPL game, a 0-1 reverse to Mathare United in October, completing a rare double against the team that swept all before them to reclaim the league crown from 2016 winners Tusker.

“I felt bewildered when I joined Gor. This is because the team is a great club with a rich history and because of this, I said I would not be motivated by money but by the desire to build a good side that can be a force in African football,” Kerr said earlier this week as he prepared his team to travel to Tanzania for their Confed Cup return clash today.

Williamson’s success

The amiable, witty and sometimes cocky Englishman credits one of his predecessors, Scotsman Bobby Williamson who broke the club’s 18-year league success drought in 2013 for introducing him to the team the following year, fronting him as his successor when he left to take over at national team Harambee Stars.

“Williamson was my former manager at Scottish Premier League side, Kilmarnock. He liked me and because of the cordial relationship, he decided to link me up with Gor when he was leaving to head Harambee Stars,” Kerr said.

However, the coach who endeared himself to the K’Ogalo faithful when he tattooed the club’s crest on his leg, one that he is only too proud to show after winning the title, had to wait before taking his place in the Gor managerial hot seat.

“The delay was because I had contract with Simba SC of Tanzania which was still running, I had to complete it first before I cross over to Kenya,” Kerr disclosed with Scotsman Frank Nutall who won the 2014 and 2015 league titles, the latter unbeaten and ex-Brazil international, Jose Marcelo ‘Ze Maria’ Ferreira taking charge before he finally took over.

The former English Premier League sides, Sheffield Wednesday FC, Leeds United FC and Reading FC defender may have not rang a bell to most Kenyans before his arrival but now, he has risen to be one of, if not the most recognisable figure in the local game following his whirlwind success.

His first game in charge was at the National Stadium in Dar-es-Salaam on July 13 last year when his then new team ran EPL heavyweights Everton close before a late Kieran Dowell strike eight minutes from time saw them succumb 1-2 in a match where revered former England captain, Wayne Rooney opened the scoring.

“That performance gave the team belief and it helped Gor to return home and win the title. I told the players they can be the best and credit to them, they listened and went on to make history,” the tactician recalled.

The loss of his captain, longest-serving player and defender Musa Mohammed as well as midfield lynchpin, Kenneth Muguna, who had risen to be the fulcrum of his side in the close season could have scuttled the side but Kerr picked up the pieces and soldiered on.

“I set my standards and came up with my philosophy and work ethics. I’m glad the players and the technical bench have mastered them.

“The most important thing was getting the players to believe in me. I’m happy because the philosophy has helped to instil confidence in the players,” he said.

Having beaten arch rivals AFC Leopards 1-0 to lift the KPL Super Cup curtain raiser in Nakuru, with his new captain, Harun Shakava, popping up with the winner on January 18, Kerr’s charges have not looked back and baring a collapse of epic proportions, looks set to extend their league winning record at the end of the season.

Such has been their local dominance that some of their beady-eyed fans are suggesting the club should focus on clinching a continental title while others proclaim Gor should be the national team.

Calls to appoint Kerr as national team Harambee Stars head coach in following Williamson’s footsteps are also gaining currency but Kerr distanced himself from the call and instead, elected to offer current boss, Frenchman Sebastian Migne some counsel.

“My advice to him is that he should stamp his authority in the team by picking his best for the national side.

Vested interests

“He should not listen to other individuals with vested interests. At Gor Mahia, I pick my line-up without any outside influence so I advise Migne to do the same,” he offered.

With Gor and other local football fans offering him much love, the colourful Briton who is mostly seen prancing the dugout in shorts and a t-shirt regardless of the weather has also taken to his adopted home with relish.

“I like Kenyan people, they are polite, friendly and the women are very beautiful. The other bit that I like is the vibrant lifestyle, especially, in downtown Nairobi where I saunter while sampling bars, music and drinks,” Kerr noted.

The dark clouds of off-the-field issues that have blighted the club has been a pet subject for the Briton at most of his recent press calls, candidly admitting they have weighed down on his players.

“The squad has good and bad times, but I keep on advising the players that football is their job so it is their duty to respect that.

“I constantly advise club management to sort out these impediments so players can have a piece of mind,” highlighted Kerr.

He credits the enthusiasm of the passionate Green Army supporters who have stood by his team through thick and thin as the tonic that has motivated his players to return the positive results on the field.

“This is one virtue which you can’t beat. When I joined this team, I resolved to come to the pitch with a smile and leave with a smile. I inspire and motivate the players.

“This is the secret that set me free with them, it helped the players to believe in me. I have so far moulded a more confident side than the squad that I found last year,” he added.

Having taken every blow his team has received in his stride, Kerr points out what has personally kept him going in face of it all.

“I’m a very positive and enthusiastic person, my glass is always a half full,” he deadpanned.

Since their Tanzania debacle, K’Ogalo returned home to whip Yanga 4-0 in the Confed Cup, edged the old enemy Leopards 2-1 in the Mashemeji Derby last Sunday before a largely second-string side floored fellow SPL side Posta Rangers 3-1 in the last-16 of the Shield.

Another victory over the record 27-time Tanzanian league winners who are also embroiled in a crippling dispute between club and players today will see K’Ogalo take a significant step in sealing at least second-place in Group D to make the last eight of the Confed Cup.