Oketch promises to adopt Barcelona model in running Gor Mahia

An aspirant for Gor Mahia’s chairmanship in elections slated for December 11, has promised to institute far reaching changes that will be beneficial to the club in the event that he wins.

Dan Oketch, has said that part of the measures would be to transform Gor Mahia to adopt the FC Barcelona model.

In an interview with Nation Sport, Oketch who has heightened his campaign in the wake of a fundraiser dinner at a city hotel at the weekend that targeted corporates and business community said: “I have a good grasp of what is required to move Gor Mahia from the relative success we have enjoyed locally to a state of significance within the football fraternity in the continent. Our ultimate goal is to conquer Africa on the football front.”

“Our club has goodwill and fan base which is unmatched in the region. We have a ready market. Gor Mahia is a goldmine which is ready to explode. This is a virgin enterprise that can grow if well-handled but lack of visionary leaders, lack of accountability, poor handling of gate collection has affected the club. I want to change and turn the club to a business oriented club in the model of Barcelona with passionate fan base,” he said.

Oketch also said that he will ensure the club has its own stadium that will give them 100 per cent control over match day revenue, stadium naming rights, pitch side branding and hiring out the facility to other users to generate revenue and also set up different levels of youth structures beginning with the under-15 side.

Oketch will face off with incumbent Ambrose Rachier and former club secretary general Chris Omondi in the elections.