Major boost for Gor Mahia as star defenders extend deals

By the time his new deal expires in 2019, skipper Musa Mohammed would have served SportPesa Premier League champions-elect Gor Mahia for a nine years – making him one of the longest-serving players the club has had.

Mohammed, who joined Gor Mahia from Lang’ata High School in 2010, on Wednesday extended his stay at the club by a further two years after lengthy negotiations with the managers. Also to pen a new two-year deal was Ugandan left back Godfrey Walusimbi.

The two deals will come as a big relief for Gor Mahia coach Dylan Kerr, who is keen to build a strong team ahead of next year’s Caf Champions League outing.

The two deals were reached a day after star striker Jacques Tuyisenge (two) and midfielder Ernest Wendo (three) also signed new contracts with the club.

“The expectation for us to go to the Champions League and win is high and the players want this platform to market themselves. It’s not good when you have players’ contracts running out because everybody will come for them,” said Kerr.

“I don’t want my players to fall for deals from some unscrupulous agents with empty promises. I want them all to stay. I don’t want the team to be messed up by so many new recruits.”

“One of Sir Alex Ferguson’s biggest strengths was that he didn’t change his squad time and again. Look at his tally of premier league titles in England. If we want to be the best, we must copy the best.”

MANY DEALS

Walusimbi, capped 56 times, has been on South African giants Orlando Pirates and Albanian outfit KF Tirana radar.

The 28-year-old called for early preparations as they get ready for continental football.

“We’ve been going into the continental assignments unprepared. If the managers can have a good plan then guys can be in good shape to perform to the later stages of the competition,” said the Ugandan defender, who has won three league titles with Gor.

“The squad needs to be maintained because I believe the current team can fight with the big boys.”

Meanwhile, Walusimbi believes the high turnover of players is to blame for Harambee Stars’ poor showing in recent matches.

Walusimbi said Harambee Stars are struggling because of inconsistency in the squad. Unlike Uganda, he says, Kenya changes the squad in each and every international game.

“Our team doesn’t change the squad too much like I see in Kenya. You know national team converges for few days hence if you have different squads each game you won’t perform well. If you have a consistent team even if you camp for two days you will rake in good results,” he said.

“If you check Uganda’s squad, some of us have been there for long, we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses on the pitch that even if we meet for a day we make a difference in a match. Kenya needs to maintain their squad to compete at the highest level,” added Walusimbi.

Uganda are 32 places above Kenya in the Fifa rankings.