How politicians saved the day in Gor-Nuttall standoff
RUNNING OUT OF TIME? Gor Mahia head coach Frank Nuttall reacts during their DSTV Super Cup match against Bandari FC at Mbaraki Sports Club on February 6, 2016. Bandari won 1-0. PHOTO | KEVIN ODTI |
What you need to know:
- The furore surrounding Nuttall's future started Thursday evening, when the 47-year-old coach walked out on his employer citing a pay dispute.
- The shocking move forced Gor Mahia supporters to castigate the club officials on various social media platforms.
Frank Nuttall's abrupt resignation as head coach of Gor Mahia on Thursday night took a political dimension hours later, prompting club officials to temporarily reinstate the Scottish trainer.
The furore surrounding Nuttall's future started Thursday evening, when the 47-year-old coach walked out on his employer citing a pay dispute.
Whether by design or default, Nuttall's move to quit was perfectly timed. It arrived hours to Gor Mahia's first competitive assignment of the season against Bandari in Mombasa on Saturday in the DSTV Super Cup and a week to the start of the 2016 Kenyan Premier League season.
The decision was, however, a culmination of some frosty relationship with senior officials of the club, which stretch back four months.
The shocking move forced Gor Mahia supporters to castigate the club officials on various social media platforms.
The K'Ogalo fan base was understandably irked by the move, with the coach having in the past 15 months won them two league titles, the KPL Top 8 trophy and steered them to the final of the Cecafa Kagame Club Championship.
"We hosted the team to a luncheon in Mombasa (on Friday) and you could feel the tension brought by the absence of the coach and frustration from fans on social media," Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar told Daily Nation Sport.
"We talked to the chairman (Ambrose Rachier) and he was categorical the club couldn't afford him. But we are talking about a good and experienced coach here and they don't come cheap. I'm glad we have convinced both parties to negotiate the way forward."
"I was bombarded by calls from supporters. They told me we don't want to hear about the food, they just want the management to reinstate the coach," said Eluid Owalo, a political analyst and an ardent Gor Mahia fan.
CLEARED THE AIR
The club officials alongside Omar and Owalo later addressed a press briefing on Friday evening, where Rachier clarified the club had not sacked the coach, adding that negotiations were ongoing to commit the coach to manage the club for another year at the very least.
Nuttall, who had remained in Nairobi, eventually departed for Mombasa Saturday morning to link up with the team. Gor fell 1-0 to Bandari in the DSTV Super Cup on Saturday with Nuttall on the dugout.
