Gor Mahia monitoring foreign targets

What you need to know:

  • The Mail Men have also acquired Ezekiel Okare from Ulinzi Stars.
  • The transfer window closes on January 31.

Reigning Kenyan Premier League champions Gor Mahia are monitoring Ugandan striker Juma Balinya, formerly with Yanga, and Ghanaian midfielder Jackson Owusu, who previously worked with the club’s coach Steven Polack at Asante Kotoko, with a view of signing them in the ongoing mid-season transfer window.

Club CEO Lordvick Aduda confirmed they are awaiting for clearance from the coach on who to sign.

“The two are in the country and the coach is assessing them amongst other players that are on trials. We will only sign whoever he approves,” Aduda told Nation Sport on Friday.

“I have seen Juma in training just once and I could tell he is a good striker. I have to analyse him in more sessions before we make a decision. For Owusu, he is a player I have known since he was 21 years and having worked with him for many years, I know what he is capable of. He will bring in the quality we need in the team, but it has been a while and I will also need to check up on him next week when we resume training,” Polack said.

K’Ogalo takes on Kakamega Homeboyz on Sunday, but their preparations have been hampered with players staging a go slow over unpaid salaries and allowances. Polack is however convinced the team will do well.

“It is unfortunate that we haven’t trained properly over the past two days, but we have good quality in the team and the players always do their best on match days – that is something I don’t take for granted. They always work hard despite the circumstances. We have laboured to pick points lately but that is a mark of a good team, grinding results even when all odds are stuck against you,” Polack said.

“It will be a tough game (against Homeboyz). Every team ups its game when they face us but the good thing is my players are aware and they are always mentally prepared for the challenge. There are no easy games in the KPL and we have to approach every single match with the seriousness it deserves if we are to retain the title.

“We have just conceded six times in 13 matches and that is good. My concern is we aren’t really sharp offensively and that is something we have to solve in the current transfer window,” the coach, who was recently awarded the November KPL Coach of the Month gong, added.

Meanwhile, other teams continue to strengthen their squads with new signings. Tusker announced the signing of striker Christopher Ochieng from Mathare United.

Bandari have brought in striker John Mwita from Sony Sugar, while Collins Okumu and Humphrey Okoti have joined Posta Rangers from Sony Sugar as well.

The Mail Men have also acquired Ezekiel Okare from Ulinzi Stars. The transfer window closes on January 31.