Jerim back at Gor Mahia with big dreams

U15 Keeper Trainer and Former Gor Mahia Goalkeeper Jeremy Onyango during the unveiling of Wadi Degla Clubs Africa as the official partner of the Youth National Teams facilitated by Football Kenya Federation on Tuesday, April 30, 2019. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Former Kenyan international rules out return to playing.

Jerim Onyango has ruled out the possibility of coming out of retirement after the former Gor Mahia and Harambee Stars goalkeeper penned a deal with K’Ogalo.

Onyango retired in January 2017 after nine years with the reigning league champions. But he now makes a return as a goalkeeper trainer to the club that made him a household name.

Asked whether he may reconsider call up to the national team or club, like Arnold Origi or Dennis Oliech did, Onyango said: “I made the decision to retire from active play and to venture into coaching full time, so for me, there is no going back to the pitch as a player.”

But Onyango moves back to a divided Gor side that is currently caught in the web of match fixing allegations.

Last week, K’Ogalo chair admitted that investigations were ongoing to establish the truth about the allegations that some members of the squad were throwing away matches.

“My goal has always been to bring the best out of my players.  I will try and help my goalkeepers to keep clean sheets.

"I hope that at least one of them will be named the best keeper at the end of the season,” Onyango said yesterday.

Onyango held his first training session with the players yesterday. He took over from Willis Ochieng, who resigned on Friday.

“It’s always a dream of every player to go back to his former club and pass the knowledge and the philosophy to the next generation of players,” Onyango said.

“I’m sure the performance of the team will improve in the days to come. Right now, I just want to concentrate on coaching as I had achieved all that I wanted as a player. It’s now the turn of other players to showcase their talent."

Onyango, the 2013 Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup winner with Harambee Stars got a warm reception on his first day at Gor after four years.

“I had a good first day in training with all players cooperating so I’m sure they will do better," he said.

The ex-K’Ogalo skipper will also double up as the Kenya U20 team keepers’ coach.

During his nine-year stint as a player with Gor Mahia, Onyango won three league titles, four GOtv medals and two KPL Top 8 trophies.

Another beneficiary of the sweeping changes at K’Ogalo is Harun Shakava who was handed the skipper’s armband.

Shakava, who rejoined the club in the last transfer window from Nkana FC, took over the captaincy from Kenneth Muguna.

K’Ogalo are currently wading through a tough season that saw them crash out of both the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederations Cup.

They sit a distant eighth on the league table, 16 points behind the leaders Tusker.