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Not among the Gor Mahia players registered for the new season, the forward still hopes to strike a deal at K’Ogalo but has ‘Plan B and C’ if things do not work out
Gor Mahia forward George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo says he has various options available to him even as he insists that he still has a future at the club despite reports linking him away from K’Ogalo.
Odhiambo added a seventh league title to his glittering collection when Gor won the Football Kenya Federation Premier League crown last term and after two seasons back at K’Ogalo, but his time at the club seems to have come to an end.
According to the players so far registered by Gor Mahia ahead of the new campaign, Odhiambo’s name is conspicuously missing which would suggest that he is not in the plans of coach Jonathan McKinstry.
However, when contacted, Odhiambo claimed he has not received any communication over a future away from the club.
“I have not left the club because I still have a contract with the club until September 5,” he told Pulse Sports.
“I am still training with the club and no one in the club has told me about leaving. I have been away from training the past week because I was sick. I had a toothache and I had them removed but I hope to resume training this week.
“We have been talks and I hope things will turn out well. However, if we do not agree, I have plan B and C because in football, you can never be sure. I cannot sit and wait until the last minute.”
Odhiambo had last month said he was weighing his options since Gor had not started talks over a new deal.
“The club told me they will call me for talks when they finish with other players,” he said in July.
“My decision whether to extend or leave will depend on the offers that I will receive. I have had some teams in Kenya approach me but the offers do not meet my expectations. My agent is also talking to some clubs out of the country and I am waiting feedback.”
Blackberry, has had three stints at K’Ogalo, his love affair with the record champions beginning in 2009 when he signed aged 16 from Thur Gem High School. He was named the Most Promising Player that year before he was crowned Player of the Year the following campaign after which he left for Danish side Randers.
An unsuccessful spell in Denmark saw him leave the following year before trying his luck in Finland with Kuopino, Tanzania moneybags Azam, Shikar and Ulisses, both in Armenia, but he found it hard abroad and K’Ogalo welcomed him back in 2014.
His return to Gor came at a time K’Ogalo were a winning machine and he featured for the club from 2014-2019, winning five titles in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2018-19 before he left for Tusker where he claimed the 2020-21 crown but returned to Gor again in 2021, to win last season’s crown.
With wantaway goalkeeper Gad Mathews also teetering towards staying at Gor Mahia, Odhiambo could yet stay at K’Ogalo with the transfer window still open until September 15.
Gor have already parted ways with Dennis Ng’a Ng’a, who left for Zambian side Zanaco last month, Ugandans Shafik Kagimu and Peter Lwasa as well as Peter Oudu while signing Rooney Onyango, Kennedy Onyango, Kevin Juma, Kevin Omondi, Alvin Ochineg and Laurence Juma.
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