Rachier Appeals To Gor Fans, Addresses Kerr Departure And Unveils New Players

NAIROBI, Kenya- Gor Mahia FC chairman Ambrose Rachier on Monday morning appealed to the ardent K’Ogalo fans to turn up in large numbers on Wednesday for their CAF Champions League first leg match. 

The record domestic league winners are set to take on Nyasa Bullets of Malawi at the Kasarani Stadium from 4pm. 

Rachier called for a press conference at a local hotel in Nairobi on Monday to address a couple of matters going on in the Gor team such as unveiling new players for the season and to clarify the matters surrounding former coach Dylan Kerr’s departure. 

“I appeal to our fans to turn up in large numbers for the first leg of the CAF Champions League match against Nyasa Bullets. 

“We need the support of our ardent fans to turn up and show their support for our home fixture,” Rachier stated. 

Nyasa Bullets arrived in Nairobi last night at 10:30pm last night and they are staying in a local hotel ahead of the highly anticipated fixture. 

The match was originally meant to be played tomorrow (Tuesday) but there will be a Kariobangi Sharks FC fixture against Arta Solar of Djibouti, as they make their debut in the continental competition. 

Charges are KSHs200 for terraces and KSHs500 for VIP. 

Coach situation

Rachier went on to confirm that Dylan Kerr resigned from his position as Gor coach on November 15 via an email that the Briton sent to the chairman and the other Gor officials, thanking them for their time together and revealing that he had accepted another coaching role. 

Kerr joined Gor 16 months ago and led them to two SportPesa Premier League titles and a successful defence of the revamped SportPesa Cup. 

“The club has reluctantly accepted his resignation and wishes him well in his new assignment in the South African Premier League. 

“We have received 53 applications as of yesterday for the appointment of a new coach. 

“Some of them are local coaches and the others have never stepped on African soil,” Rachier explained. 

Kerr is currently in South Africa, set to begin his new coaching role at the helm of PSL side, Black Leopards FC. 

“We are processing the applications and in due course, we shall announce the new coach. In the meantime, Zedekiah “Zico” Otieno will remain in charge of the team. 

The youngest applicant is 34 years old and the oldest is 65. Matters such as language and knowledge on the game will be some of the main criteria we will look at as we make a decision regarding the new coach. 

New signings

The chairman finished by unveiling the new players who will don the Gor jersey for the new 2018/19 season, with the team manager Jolawi Obondo bringing them out to be formally introduced. 

Striker Eric Ombija from the Gor youth team joins the first team alongside midfielder Castro Ogendo from Kenyatta University and Pascal Ogweno joins the team from Kariobangi Sharks FC. 

Another young defender in Geoffrey Ochieng Okoth from Western Stima FC was next in line and was followed by Kenneth Muguna who is re-joining Gor Mahia FC after a short stint in Albania with FK Tirana. 

Nicholas Kipkirui, formerly of Zoo FC walked in after, much to the elation of the Gor fans in the room who have been calling on the team to sign another striker since the departure of Meddie Kagere to Simba SC. 

Erisa Ssekisambu from the Ugandan Premier League has also been signed by the 17-time league champions to offer support to Jacques Tuyisenge up front. 

One other player who has joined Gor and was fortunate enough to travel with the team to the United Kingdom for the historic match against Everton FC, Shafiq Batambuze, was not in attendance due to a prior engagement. 

Batambuze, formerly of Tusker FC and more recently Singida United FC, will play in his natural left-back position.