Record FKF Premier League champions Gor Mahia have fired their head coach Mark Harrison, his assistant Sammy ‘Pamzo’ Omollo and goalkeeper trainer Jerim Onyango after a poor run of results.
Despite a good start to the season, Gor Mahia’s results have not been impressive and last week’s 3-0 loss to Posta Rangers proved to be the last straw that the coaches held on. AFter teh Posta game, the team was booed off the pitch with reports gathering pace that the Englishman was on his way out of the club.
Former Tusker FC, Bandari and Muhoroni Youth and Kakamega Homeboyz head coach Paul Nkata will take charge of the team on interim basis as they seek a permanent figure to take over from Harrison. Paul will coach his son Fred who was signed by the team at the start of the season.
“As a club, we have made a decision to part ways with coach Mark Harrison, Assistant coach Sammy Omollo and goalkeeper trainer Jerim Onyango. Paul Nkata will take charge on an interim basis. We thank the three for services offered to the club,” a short statement from the club read.
A source at the club intimated that it was only a matter of time before the axe fell on the coaching team after a troubled last few weeks.
“There was a lot of disharmony in the dressing room with division in the squad and the coach had not taken control of it. He was not able to control the team and some players were no longer playing for results,” said the source.
Gor Mahia coach Mark Harrison
Gor had a good start to the season but have slowly lost pace in the title hunt and the recent results,; back to back draws against Bidco United which both required penalty equalizers as well as the loss to Posta Rangers was the final straw that the coaching bench clutched on.
Harrison was appointed last year July to take over from Portuguese tactician Carlos Manuel vaz Pinto who had resigned after guiding the team to the FKF Cup title at the close of the season. Omollo, who had taken charge of the team on gentlemen’s agreement during their CAF Confederation Cup matches, while still coaching Posta Rangers, was appointed to deputize him after being fired by the mailmen.
The two, alongside club legend Jerim Onyango, however failed to meet expectations.
Divisions at the club have been further fuelled by the lack of funds, with players going for months without salaries as the club struggles to sustain themselves financially.
Nkata’s first match in charge will be a return tie against Posta. His appointment has however been met with a lot of resistance, with some fans questioning the tactician’s success. Despite winning two titles with Tusker in 2016, the coach hasn’t had much success elsewhere.
He was fired at Bandari after failing to match results with expectations while his tenure at Homeboyz was dogged with match fixing controversies with several players who played for him during his time at the club being handed bans for match manipulation by FIFA.
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