Newly-appointed Gor Mahia head coach Carlos Manuel Vaz Pinto has been handed an immediate task of redeeming the image of the club at the continental level by guiding them to the group stages of the Confederations Cup.
Pinto,who according to the club vice chairman Francis Wasuna, boasts of a Uefa Pro coaching license, was hired yesterday to fill in the shoes of Brazilian Roberto Oliveira who mysteriously exited the club in December after his credentials fell short of the Caf requirement.
The Kenyan champions had excruciatingly leased Posta's Sammy "Pamzo' Omollo's services during the preliminary and the subsequent first round of the Caf matches while former assistant coach Patrick Odhiambo took charge in league matches.
Gor were embarrassingly tossed out of the lucrative Caf Champions League by Algerian champions CR Belouizdad in the first round last week after going down 8-1 on aggregate in the first round.
The heavy defeat saw them drop to the second tier of the tournament and will face Zambian outfit Napsa Stars in the playoff which ushers the winner to the group stages. Gor are scheduled to host the first leg on February 14 with the return leg set seven days later.
Wasuna revealed that the Portuguese gaffer, who penned a two-year long contract, will be required to edge Napsa in the playoff and fire the club back to the pools.
Kógalo last featured in the group stages of the tournament in 2019 under Cypriot coach Hassan Oktay, where they prevailed in Pool 'D' and consequently booked a place in the quarterfinals. Additionally, Wasuna said Pinto will be assigned to retain the league.
"We want him to fire the club to the group stages of the Confederations Cup as well as win the league. He is qualified and we will offer him maximum support for him to meet the target," he said.
With Pinto already at the helm, Wasuna was hopeful that Pamzo would take the assistant coach slot today should the two parties agree on terms.
Odhiambo was conspicuously absent from the technical bench during their home match against Belouizdad amid reports that he was on Bandari's and Kakamega Homeboyz's radar.
"We will unveil the assistant coach today. Pamzo is our main target and should he accept the terms, we are offering then he will work with Pinto going forward," he added.
