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A number of Gor Mahia fans have called for the resignation of the coach despite his impressive run given the tools at his disposal.
Following the 3-2 stoppage-time loss to Kakamega Homeboyz, incensed Gor Mahia fans were baying for head coach Johnathan McKinstry’s blood and demanding his instant resignation but the move seems like a knee-jerk reaction.
The record Kenyan champions have lost steam at a crucial stage of the season having just won one of their last five games and have only been kept in firm contention of the title by Tusker falters.
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17:26 - 19.06.2023
STARS ABROAD Kenyan defender Erick ‘Marcelo’ Ouma on the radar of two clubs with AIK exit imminent
The defender joined AIK back in January 2020 and has scored 13 goals and three assists in 86 games.
The form certainly is not synonymous with championship winning teams especially in the business end of the season and fans are right to ask questions.
The Northern Irish head coach has been labelled a ‘plumber’ a common slang in football used to describe unqualified foreign coaches who just come to eke a living.
With one point separating Gor Mahia and Tusker at the summit of the league heading into the season finale, here are reasons why Mckinstry is not a plumber.
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17:00 - 22.06.2023
FOOTBALL: ‘Don’t blame McKinstry, blame ‘casual’ players’ – K'Ogalo fans
The coach has been the subject of criticism, but a section of fans have come out in his defence.
Lean squad
Gor Mahia had a squad of less than 20 players in the first half of the season and many had written them off at the start of the season after finishing third last season and losing a number of players.
K’Ogalo witnessed a mass exodus at the start of the season that saw Clifton Miheso, Samuel Onyango, Jules Ulimwengu, Joachim Oluoch, Fred Nkata and Yusuf Mainge leaving the club.
With a FIFA transfer embargo hanging on the head of the club, Gor Mahia could not sign players and had to maneuver with a lean squad in the first half of the season.
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16:30 - 22.06.2023
FOOTBALL: ‘Cyber Cafe's salary was higher than what Gor Mahia paid me’ – Ex-footballer
The salary, according to the player, made him nicknamed after a politician.
Only three players were promoted from the academy John Nyawir, Lyson Muyonga, Paul Ochuoga with only the latter featuring prominently for the club.
McKinstry managed to punch above his weight with the thin squad and managed to keep Gor Mahia in the title race in the first half of the season.
Improvement of players
A number of players have had arguably their best seasons in their careers under McKinstry who has managed to bring out the best out of his fledgling squad.
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10:56 - 22.06.2023
FKFPL ‘Leave’ – Former Gor Mahia treasurer Sally Bolo tells head coach McKinstry
The former official feels it is time for the Northern Irish tactician to terminate his contract.
Gad Mathews who has kept 17 clean sheets the most in a single season in his career is in line to win the Golden Glove albeit Nzoia Sugar’s Humphrey Katasi breathing down his neck with 16 shut outs.
Benson Omala who showed promise after announcing himself to the top flight while still being a form four at Kisumu Day High School stagnated in the previous season after his nightmare stint in Sweden.
Omala is among the top scorers with 25 goals this season and could clinch the Golden Boot should he have a successful outing against Nairobi City Star in the final game of the season as he trails Elvis Rupia by two goals (as per FKF).
Dennis Ng’ang’a is also having a phenomenal season at the heart of defence with John Ochieng also displaying turmenous growth under the gaffer not to mention Paul Ochuoga and Joshua Onyango also being handed chances and impressing.
Quality of players
With all due respect to the current Gor Mahia players, this is one of the worst squads at the club in recent times boasting of only one international player in the first half of the season, Peter Lwasa who is yet to earn a Ugandan cap.
Compared to previous squads that boasted of Meddie Kagere, Jaques Tuyisenge, Godfrey Walusimbi, Karim Nzigiyimana, Dan Sserunkuma, Khalid Aucho, and Geoffrey Baba Kizito just to name but a few, this squad is a pale shadow of previous K’Ogalo squads.
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07:32 - 22.06.2023
FKFPL ‘Kakamega Homeboyz deserve the win – McKinstry
K’Ogalo lost three points that would have given them a huge advantage in the title race.
The quality of players can also be seen in the national team set up with only Benson Omala, Alpha Onyango and Boniface Omondi earning call ups this year.
Only Gad Mathews and Dennis Ng’ang’a can stake a serious claim for being omitted from the national team compared to previous seasons where Gor Mahia used to comprise the bulk of players in the national team.
Inexperienced squad
A number of players in the Gor Mahia squad prior to the January transfer window were either young or lacking the needed experience to challenge for the title.
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08:00 - 22.06.2023
FKFPL AFC Leopards explain why Aussems was missing during Sofapaka defeat
This is not the first time that the Belgian tactician has left the team before the end of the season as he has done so in his previous two campaigns.
In the current squad only five players have lifted the Football Kenya Federation Premier League namely Boniface Omondi, George Odhiambo, Ernest Wendo, Philemon Otieno, and Geoffrey Ochieng.
In the game against Homeboyz it was evident that most of the players had jitters which can be attributed to limited experience to handle the pressure of the title race.
McKinstry’s track record
Despite his decent experience in the national team set up, having handled Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Uganda, Gor Mahia is the first African club that McKinstry is at the helm of.
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17:06 - 21.06.2023
FKFPL Mathare United relegated, Elvis Rupia equals Sonyi’s 47-year goal record as Sofapaka add to Leopards’ woes
The Slum Boys’ 25-year top flight stay came to a crashing end while the Kenya Police striker moved ahead of Gor Mahia’s Benson Omala in the Golden Boot race
The 37-year-old manager is one win away from lifting the league with Gor Mahia despite his inexperience in African club football which is a different ball game with frequent financial problems.
He also has a number of outstanding records under his belt in his coaching career such as being the youngest international manager in the world at 27 years of age when he took over Sierra Leone and he guided them to their highest FIFA ranking to date.
At Rwanda he guided them to the final of the 2015 CECAFA Championship and quarter finals of the 2016 African Nations Championship which was their maiden knock-out stages appearance of a major competition.
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07:10 - 22.06.2023
FOOTBALL Francis Kimanzi explains reasons behind his success as Harambee Stars coach in 2008
Kimanzi famously led Kenya to its highest ever ranking of 68 in 2008.
At Saif SC, a Bangladeshi club, McKinstry set new club records for most points in a league season, most wins in a league season, and most goals scored in a league season which by no means is a plumber stat.
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