Gor Mahia head to Narok for two-week camp

Kenyan Premier League champions Gor Mahia were on Monday expected to depart Nairobi for a two-week specialised training camp in Narok ahead of the new season.

This will be the first training camp this year for the 16-time Kenyan champions who have a packed itinerary this year that includes national, regional and continental assignments.

Gor will face Leones Vegetarianos of Equatorial Guinea in their Caf Champions League preliminary round.

“The pre-season is for both the league matches and the Caf Champions League. We would like to perform better in both so we are putting in the work,” club Chief Executive Officer Lordvick Aduda said on Monday.

Aduda however maintained that in light of the withdrawal of their shirt sponsors SportPesa last week, the club is still considering whether or not to participate in the Champions League.

“We can’t walk from here to Equatorial Guinea. If there is no money we will not honour those matches," he said.

“At this moment we are, however, staying positive because we are in talks with SportPesa and other potential sponsors, and we are optimistic of getting a good deal.”

K’Ogalo will welcome Leones Vegetarianos in the first week of February in their first leg encounter.

Should they make it to the next round they will face either ASAC Concorde of Mauritania or Tunisia’s Esperance.

All squad members, with the exception of Burundian full back Karim Nizigiyimana, have been training at Camp Toyoyo, Jericho in Nairobi for the last three weeks under coaches Dylan Kerr and Zedekiah Otieno.

Nizigiyimana is recuperating from an ankle surgery he underwent late last year and will be out for a good part of this season.

Gor play their first 2018 league match on February 3 in Kasarani against Nakumatt.

The club signed several players including former Tusker midfielders Cersidy Lumumba and Humphrey Mieno, Ivorian import Ephrem Guikan, forward Kevin “Ade” Omondi who has returned to the club.

Defender Charles Momanyi (Kakamega Homeboyz), Wesley Onguso (Sofapaka), Bernard Ondiek (Western Stima) and Lawrence Juma from Nzoia Sugar have also been roped in.

The team will however need to appoint a new captain, as long-serving defender Musa Mohammed is heavily linked with a move to Albanian club FK Tirana, where he will join teammate Kenneth Muguna.