GOR'S BITTER PILL: Fan trouble and disorganisation cost K'Ogalo an unprecedented fourth straight title

Tusker FC fans are joined by AFC Leopards SC counterpart in celebration during their SportPesa Premier League match at the Afraha stadium in Nakuru on November 06, 2016. Tusker FC won 1-0. [Photo:Stafford Ondego/www.sportpicha.com]

It is a bitter pill for Gor Mahia fans to swallow, seeing the Kenyan Premier League title they have held for three years return to Tusker FC.

It is even more painful to watch their players having to give Tusker a guard of honour when the two sides clash on the final day of the season - the day the huge Sportpesa trophy will be presented.

If the 2012 draw with Thika United was painful, this stands to be even more painful as the title is handed to the opponents.

But Gor fans, players and officials will watch the title go knowing they had everything it took to win an unprecedented fourth title in a row, but gave it away.

After dominating the local scene last season and winning the league unbeaten, it was expected to be business as usual with the title remaining with K’Ogalo. But from the very start of the 2016 season, it was evident that the hangover of the 2015 success had taken a toll on them and they were imploding.

With Michael Olunga, their key man upfront, alongside Meddie Kagere and Ali Abondo gone, the K’Ogalo attacking spine was broken.

Their pre-season was shambolic. Their foreign players arrived days before the season kick-off. Then there was also the issue of outstanding bonuses from the title winning season, and morale was at its lowest ebb.

Players like Khalid Aucho and Innocent Wafula were unsettled - two key players in last season’s campaign.

Gor signed Jacques Tuyisenge to replace Olunga, but the Rwandese international arrived injured and only started playing after six games. There was no replacement for Abondo or a Kagere-like player upfront.

Being eliminated from the Africa Champions League was not unexpected. Back in the league, Gor’s ego was bruised when they lost to AFC Leopards, their first loss in 34 league matches. This is where the title started slipping away from their grip.

Exit Frank Nuttal, the Scottish-born coach who masterminded the 2015 unbeaten season, and in came Brazillian Jose Marcello Ferreira ‘Ze Maria’.

Under Ze Maria, Gor Mahia picked up from position 13 after five rounds of matches to the summit at the halfway mark.

Then they lost three points from the boardroom after the Independent Disciplinary Committee docked them following crowd trouble during their game against Tusker. And from then on, it was never the same for K’Ogalo as they played catch up to unrelenting Tusker.

Gor then lost their midfield kingpin Khalid Aucho to Baroka Swallows of South Africa and could not land a replacement.

Since Aucho’s departure, they have not only struggled to win but also score.

The return of Kagere was expected to add some punch upfront. However, it took him 11 games to start clicking with Tuyisenge. By the time they were forming their deadly partnership against AFC Leopards, the title race was mathematical, a fact coach Ze Maria admitted.

There had been a tug of war about whether to sign Kagere or Brazilian Da Silva, who was brought in by the coach. That affected the harmony in the team.

The standoff between coach Ze Maria and midfielder Collins Okoth “Gatusso” midway through the second leg worked further against their cause. In his absence, Gor Mahia drew with Bandari, Posta Rangers Kakamega Homeboyz and Sofapaka.

“We dropped point in some games we should not have,” said Ze Maria

Gor Mahia could have pushed the race to the final day but they were held by Sofapaka and later dropped their guard as Western Stima scored in the last minute of injury time to share the spoils at 2-2.

For the first time in five years, Gor Mahia end the season without a trophy not because they lacked the capacity or quality but due to their own disorganisation.

“These are games we should have won. These are games that have haunted us,” said Gor Mahia captain Jerim Onyango.

Add those to the draws with Ushuru both home and away and with Posta Rangers, also home and away.

Measnwhile Tusker were very good on the road, winning most of their games away. Rarely would they score more than two goals but they were good in defence and strong in midfield.

The coming of Allan Wanga midway through the season and the retention of midfielder Humphrey Mieno worked well for them.

As Gor prepare to hand the title to Tusker in a fortnight, they will look back on a season they gave away a title they would have easily won.

But the coach remains optimistic. “We will regroup, rebuild and come back stronger,” Ze Maria said.