Unsettled Muguna formally requests to leave Gor Mahia
What you need to know:
- Gor Mahia midfielder Kenneth Muguna has asked to leave the club amid interest for his services from Albanian club FK Tirana and Zambian champions Zanaco.
- The club’s assistant secretary general Ronald Ngala, however, told Nation Sport the player’s wish had been turned down.
- Ngala said on Wednesday: “He wrote a letter asking to leave but we said no. He has to wait until the end of the season.”
Gor Mahia midfielder Kenneth Muguna has asked to leave the club amid interest for his services from Albanian club FK Tirana and Zambian champions Zanaco.
The club’s assistant secretary general Ronald Ngala, however, told Nation Sport the player’s wish had been turned down.
Ngala said on Wednesday: “He wrote a letter asking to leave but we said no. He has to wait until the end of the season.”
“These young players at times feel like we are blocking them from better deals but this isn’t the case.”
This stand-off between player and club comes barely eight months since the 21-year old joined the Kenya Premier League table toppers on a four year contract.
Tirana are managed by former K’Ogalo coach Jose Marcelo Ferreira aka Ze Maria.
It is Ze Maria who signed Muguna from Western Stima last December, a week after he had been crowned the 2016 Kenyan Premier League Most Valuable Player.
“They (Tirana) have shown interest in Muguna through an agent who brought Ze Maria here but there is nothing official. We have no offer from them,” added Ngala.
Muguna’s current stance coincides with a public tongue lashing the player received from new coach Dylan Kerr earlier this month.
The English trainer accused Muguna of absconding training.
Said Kerr following the club’s last game against Nakumatt: “It’s a shame that he (Muguna) didn’t feature today because he was very pivotal for us in the last game. I am told his knee is swollen but I haven’t seen him. As a professional footballer, you are paid to work and if you are paid to work and you don’t show up, it is wrong.”
Now enjoying his third-season in the top flight, Muguna is fast carving a reputation as a classy attacking midfielder with wonderful ball skills.
He is a good passer of the ball and reads the game well, and is largely depended upon by Gor Mahia to produce the final pass to the strikers during attacks.
He is a good dribbler but does struggle when the game gets physical because of his slim stature.
It remains to be seen if Muguna will be part of Gor Mahia’s squad in Saturday’s league assignment against Muhoroni Youth in Kisumu.
In a related development, Gor Mahia duo Jacques Tuyisenge and Geoffrey Walusimbi have turned down potential moves to Europe.
These two have been in the radar of Albanian club FK Tirana. Ze Maria is said to be the one pushing his employers to get the Gor players.
