KPL: Coach decries no scoring ahead of round 18 match

GOR MAHIA NEW COACH DYLAN KERR GOR Mahia Coach new coach Dylan Kerr during their GOtv match against Bandari at Thika Municipal Stadium on Sunday 09/07/17. Bandari won on post penalties.PHOTO.BONIFACE OKENDO

Coach decries his team’s poor scoring record

Kerr’s headache over blunt attack

 Gor Mahia under pressure as they take on Muhoroni, AFC host Bandari in Nakuru

Gor Mahia coach Dylan Kerr has admitted that his team’s lack of firepower is causing him concern ahead of today’s Kenya Premier League match against Muhoroni Youth at Moi Stadium, Kisumu.

Despite going back at the top of the table (34 points) with a double win (2-0,1-0) over Nakumatt on Wednesdays within five days the Briton, who will be in the dug-out for the fourth time since succeeding Brazilian José Marcello in July, is not pleased with his team’s scoring record.

He feels the 15-time champions have created more than enough scoring chances in their last two league matches and should have won with bigger margins, but have been undone by poor finishing.

“I have watched six matches while in Kenya the lack of technique or ability in front of goal kills football. We have kept two clean sheets against same team (Nakumatt), but I am sure every fan here comes to the stadium to be entertained with good football, trickery and skills. However, at the end of the day football is all about scoring goals,” said Kerr after Gor’s 1-0 midweek win over Nakumatt.

“We lack some quality in the final third, the strikers are confident but they are not scoring many goals; that is something I must address. This a problem all over Africa, but I believe once you score one, you will score more. In training, we do crossing and finishing daily, that’s the only way believe we can score and kill teams. I want them to replicate that in game situation.”

And as K’ogalo seeks to reclaim the title they lost to Tusker last year, the former Simba coach has challenged each player to treat his jersey like his girlfriend, warning that no player is guaranteed a place in his team.

“Everybody is in contention for a place in the team. I want competition in the team. I don’t want my players to think they have got a God-given right to have that jersey, if you don’t perform I will take it back. But like I have preached throughout my career, you get the jersey, you keep it. Don’t let anybody take it. It is like having a girlfriend or wife, you treat her well you keep her, you mistreat her someone else will take her,” he cautioned.

Call  for commitment

“The guys on the bench, on the stands must work hard to get that jersey. And once you get the jersey, keep it.”

While Gor Mahia will be out to extend their stay at the top, champions Tusker will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing 1-0 defeat to second-placed Posta Rangers when they host Western Stima in Meru, tomorrow. Their coach George Nsimbe says this is a must-win tie.

“If you want to be champions you must win your games, something that we are not doing at the moment. We must put Posta defeat behind us and bounce back as quickly as possible. We have done that before. The quality and ability is there, everybody is eager to get back to winning ways,” said Nsimbe.

In other matches today, Kakamega Homeboyz host Kariobangi Sharks in Mumias while Nakumatt travel to Nakuru to face-off  against Ulinzi Stars.