Why Gor Mahia, Leopards are failing with foreign coaches – Bob Oyugi
Former Gor Mahia coach Bob Oyugi has revealed why the club
alongside their bitter rivals AFC Leopards are not being successful under
foreign coaches in recent years.
The two Kenyans giants have already fired their respective
coaches’ just nine matches into the 2024/25 Football Kenya Federation (FKF)
Premier League table.
First it was the record Kenyan champions who terminated the
contract of coach Leonardo Martins Neiva citing poor results with only six
matches played. The Brazilian, who was hired at the start of the season,
started off on a good note beating promoted outfit Mathare United 4-0 before
hammering Posta Rangers 3-0.
His third match in charge of K'Ogalo saw a frustrating 0-0
draw against KCB before Neiva’s problems with Gor Mahia fans started in the
fourth game. In the fixture against Nairobi City Stars, who were languishing at
the bottom of the 18-team league table, Gor Mahia were stunned 2-1.
The outcome of the game saw K’Ogalo faithful invade the
pitch baying for Neiva’s blood while a number of them called for his
resignation. However, Neiva kept a brave face and stayed on to oversee the game
against Muranga’s Seal which Gor Mahia struggled to earn a 2-2 draw.
Against Bandari in Mombasa, a disjointed Gor Mahia suffered
a 2-0 defeat and it was the fixture which ended Neiva’s love affair with
K’Ogalo. He was later shown the exit door with assistants Zedekiah ‘Zico’
Otieno and Michael Nam being promoted to handle the side on an interim basis.
Otieno, who played for Gor Mahia and has coached them
before, won his first game 2-0 against Kakamega Homeboyz, beat Mara Sugar 2-0
before losing 1-0 against Bidco United.
After Gor Mahia had fired Neiva, it was the turn of Ingwe to
turn their guns on Tomas Trucha. The Czech tactician had overseen nine matches
with the 2-1 away defeat against Shabana ending his reign at the Den.
He had beaten Mathare United 2-0 in the league opener, lost
1-0 against Posta Rangers, beat Bidco United 1-0, beat City Stars 2-1, drew 1-1
against Kariobangi Sharks, suffered two back-to-back defeats - 1-0 against
Murang’a Seal and 2-0 against Ulinzi Stars – drew 1-1 against Mara Sugar before
his final game ended in defeat against Tore Bobe at Gusii Stadium.
Tourists in the name
of tacticians?
According to Oyugi, who guided Gor Mahia to the Kenyan
Premier League title in 1993, the two clubs don’t follow correct procedures
when hiring foreign coaches insisting they go for their services simply because
of the colour.
“Kenyan clubs including Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards always go
for colour (as long as he is a foreign coach), they always want colour and
forget their local coaches can do the job, they pick tourists from top hotels
in the country and make them coaches but no procedure is followed when hiring
them,” a tough talking Oyugi told SportsBoom.com.
“As long as the ‘tourist’ shows up for the unveiling
ceremony wearing a tracksuit, the two clubs get satisfied that they are indeed
hiring qualified coaches and they end up giving them jobs. They don’t even do
enough research to know where the coaches have worked previously and what their
qualifications are.”
Oyugi continued: “Unfortunately we don’t know how most of
this coaches get their jobs. For example, have you ever seen anywhere where Gor
Mahia or even AFC Leopards advertise for the coaching job when it falls vacant?
Show me when the two clubs did so. They only tell us 35 or a huge number of
coaches have applied for the role without giving any further details.”
Oyugi took a swipe at the clubs for not following correct
criteria when hiring coaches. “What is the criteria of employing a coach?”
Oyugi posed. “The job must be advertised, that is the first and very important
criteria that these clubs must be made to know.
“The advertisement should be out there for everyone to see.
If possible they should have it advertised in local newspapers and online
platforms. Secondly coaches shortlisted from the pool must go through thorough
vetting, the coaches must be interviewed and dropped one by one before getting
the best out of the group.”
Oyugi further wondered why foreign coaches were being employed in the country without the involvement of the government. “The clubs should involve the Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Sports and Culture and the Ministry Immigration. Those three Ministries are very crucial.
"If you employ a foreign coach, the Ministry of Labour
should know because of the salary wage, same thing with the Ministry of Sports
because they are in charge of the game in the country. The Immigration
department is very critical because they will be in a position to know what
kind of a coach a club is employing.”
However, Oyugi, who is the secretary general of Kenya
Football Coaches Association (KEFOCA) posed a question. “Have you ever seen
Kenyan clubs involving the aforementioned when hiring coaches? We only see on
the news that club A has hired a foreign coach from Germany, and club B has
brought on board a coach from Turkey etc. That is not what should happen.”
After parting ways with Trucha, Ingwe trusted Fred Ambani
with the job on an interim basis. The ex-international has overseen two matches
- beating Kenya Police 1-0 before drawing 1-1 against Kakamega Homeboyz.
Want to send us a story? SMS to 25170 or WhatsApp 0743570000 or Submit on Citizen Digital or email wananchi@royalmedia.co.ke
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a Comment