As we prepare to usher in the year 2020, it is worth looking back at the end of the year as K’Ogalo family and audit ourselves as a club.
It has been a tough year by all standards to the team. In as much as we close the year at the top of the league, we have achieved some goals but also failed in other areas.
One area where we have fell short is building our financial capacity as a club.
It was my expectation that the club management will come up with ways to financially stabilise the club. But it seems to be the same old story.
We have failed in the sale of merchandise, we have failed in membership recruitment and we have also failed in sourcing finances in areas other than gate collection and sponsorship.
Our failure to build our financial capacity has seen us once again resort to begging more so after the exit of our shirt sponsors SportPesa.
We find ourselves unable to pay our players and technical bench. The end of it has seen players staging go slows and others leaving the club.
In this era, 50 years after the birth of the club, it is a shame (to say the least) that a club of Gor Mahia stature continues to walk with bowls begging for money. This is one area our club management has totally let us down.
But on the other hand, we have also managed to remain the team to beat in the local league.
As it stands, we are headed to retaining the league title, the fourth in a row.
To achieve that though, we will have to retain all our good players and scout for replacements for this who have exited.
I can say 2019 was not that bad of a year for the club. However, we also did not go a step further in the continental front.
After reaching the quarter- finals of the Caf Confederation Cup in the previous year, I had hoped that we will go a step further to the semi-finals or even the finals, but we fell short. Our players staged a revolt due to failure by the club to pay them their salaries and allowances.
Going into 2020, the club must now work towards sourcing for sponsors, build a strong financial base and improve on the performance on the pitch in the continental front.
We look forward to a year when Gor Mahia will end the culture of begging.
We are looking for a year when club chairman will live to his promise to build the club its stadium and club house.
We are looking for a year when the club will start selling merchandise and earn from it.
Beyond everything, we are looking forward to a year Gor Mahia will make it to the group stage of the Africa Champions League.
We are Gor Mahia and we know all this is possible.
Happy New Year K’Ogalo family.
