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Gor Mahia coach Johnathan McKinstry has explained why he thinks midfielder Alpha Onyango has failed to produce top performances on a consistent basis for the club
Gor Mahia head coach Johnathan McKinstry believes midfielder Alpha Onyango has not produced consistent top performances for the club due to a lack of proper guidance during his formative years.
Onyango was voted Man of the Match as Gor beat Kariobangi Sharks 2-1 in Machakos last weekend, having opened the scoring with a brilliant goal taken from outside the box.
However, the midfielder has not been a regular starter for the club in recent months due to injuries and poor form but McKinstry feels he would be a top player already had he been given the correct advice when he burst onto the scene.
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The win against Kariobangi Sharks has contributed to Gor Mahia's impressive record of eight clean sheets in 13 matches during the current season.
“He is a great case study because he has been known to Kenyan football for a very long time when he was breaking through at 16 or 17 in High School. Gor had a vested interest in him for a long time before he pulled on the green shirt,” said McKinstry of the player who joined K’Ogalo straight from High School in 2018.
“The worst thing you can tell a young person is that the reason they have their success is all down to their talent because there are lots of talented people but if you tell someone at 16 or 17 that they are so talented, what happens when they hit a roadblock?” he posed.
“What happens when they dip in form, they then think maybe I am not as talented as everyone thought I was. Talent does exist but hard work has to go hand in hand with it.”
The tactician feels since all the player knew was how talented he was but the culture of hard work was not inculcated in him early, hence his struggles.
“Even if there is talent, you have to reinforce the need for work. If you enforce that at 16 or 17, then the player can go anywhere,” added the Northern Irishman.
“Alpha maybe he was told a lot when he was younger that he was super talented and his form was up and down, so how do you get back into form? Are you relying on this stardust that is talent or are you putting the work in.
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07:36 - 07.12.2023
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The Gor Mahia coach has explained why he rates the Kenyan league higher than Rwanda, Uganda and Ghana.
“I think what he has learned in the last 16 months is the work required everyday to be at that top level. We are starting to see that but he still got some way to go. He is not done but his understanding of what is required to maximize his potential has grown massively.”
The central midfielder has struggled to nail a starting place in K’Ogalo’s midfield under McKinstry with Lawrence Juma, Kevin Juma, and Rodgers Mugisha preferred ahead of him despite having been undroppable over two years ago.
A ball-playing midfielder good at dictating the tempo of the game, Onyango offers composure and stability in the middle of the pack as witnessed when he was got a rare start last weekend and he will be hoping that his heroics earns him an extended stay in the team.
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