Record 18-time Kenya Premier League champions Gor Mahia may be forced to look for a new coach ahead of the new 2019/2020 season after manager Hassan left the country to attend urgently to family issues.
Despite the club granting the Cypriot Turkish man permission to attend to the pressing matters, he is claimed to have hinted that he may not return.
“Handling a big club like Gor needs maximum concentration but I have to attend to some pressing matters back home. If I manage to complete them in time, I will be back but if it doesn’t materialise, I will ask the chairman to get a new man in charge,” said Oktay, who left the country yesterday afternoon.
However, an inside source at the club insisted that the coach is unlikely to return as he was allegedly not in good terms with the management after signing players without consulting him and subsequently snubbed his wishlist.
This was after the departure of captain Haroun Shakava, striker Jacquis Tuyisenge, midfielder Francis Kahata and Ugandan duo of Hashim Sempala and Erissa Sekissambu.
“Oktay was a frustrated man and he is as good as gone. Players have been brought in randomly without his knowledge including some fringe and who couldn’t fit in his plans. The list he left behind was also overlooked during recruitment exercise,” said the source who sought anonymity.
Oktay joined Gor Mahia in 2018 after the departure of Briton Dylann Kerr and he worked with Gor legend Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno as his assistant. Oktay won the 2018/2019 Premier League in his maiden season and also helped K’Ogalo reach the quarter-finals of the Caf Confederations Cup quarter-finals for the first in over three decades before controversially crushing to RS Berkane 7-1 in the quarters.
His last assignment was at the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup in Kigali, Rwanda this month where he lost in quarterfinals to Green Eagles of Zambia. Former Sony coach Patrick Odhiambo, who worked as his assistant, will be in charge of the team ahead of next month’s Kenya Premier League kick-off.
Odhiambo took over the assistant’s role after Gor legendary defender Zedekiah “Zico” Otieno left for KCB as head coach at the end of last season.
Odhiambo will be temporarily assisted by former Harambee Stars captain Dennis Oliech, who is still nursing an arm injury. The experienced striker joined K’Ogallo last season, scoring five goals in the KPL and was instrumental in their continental adventure.
