I take back my words ‘Ze Maria’ is a superb coach

A famous quote goes: a wise man changes his mind, a fool never.

Today, I want to publicly state that I am changing my mind about Gor Mahia coach “Ze Maria”. I must admit that for a long time I have been ranting here against the coach and solely blaming him for the nosedive in the fortunes of our beloved club.

Although we are right now walking in the valley of the shadow of death in as far as winning this year’s SportPesa Premier League goes, I must admit that the man has won me over with the kind of football the boys are playing.

Watching them thump our perennial rivals AFC 2-0 at Nyayo National Stadium just about two weeks ago, I was convinced that there is no team in Kenyan football as currently constituted, that can match Gor Mahia in as far as technical superiority goes.

We went home with the bragging rights after winning the 80th Mashemeji Derby with Meddie Kagere and Enock Agwanda being the marksmen.

And by the way, looking at the table standings and the flow of play, I think it is time we found another team to call our arch-rivals. Those journeymen called AFC Leopards are way below our league, so to speak.

Back to “Ze Maria” and his band of warriors. The next victims to fall to the sword were the slum boys going by the fanciful name of Mathare United.

Outplayed, outclassed and dazed, the Francis Kimanzi charges left the pitch disunited. “Ze Maria”s coaching warmed my heart.

Then came the Saturday match when we faced the stubborn Muhoroni Youth. The sugarcane cutters came to the match threatening an Armageddon against K’Ogalo.

A family member, who is in the backroom staff of the Muhoroni Youth, had the audacity to warn me that Gor would leave Kisumu with bruised limbs and egos. Once again, the Mighty Mahia proved that when the occasion demands, they can humiliate any team.

As I write this, the league is in the balance with the critical match between Tusker and AFC Leopards just a few hours away. By the time you will be reading this Tusker might have escaped with the diadem or it will all be settled in the probable cliffhanger when we meet the alemen.

Be that as it may, what I know for a fact is that we have a formidable team. What “Ze Maria” and his technical bench need to do is to start beating teams early enough next season.