Gor Mahia set 2014 record as battles rock football leadership

President Uhuru Kenyatta shares a light moment with Gor Mahia football club players when they presented the 2014 Tusker Premier League Championship trophy at State House, Nairobi. PHOTO | PSCU 

By BRIAN WASUNA

In Summary

• Gor Mahia club had to endure financial difficulties following its failure to secure a sponsor after Tuzo opted not to renew its partnership.
• FKF wants an 18-team league next year while KPL insists on keeping the current 16-team format. Fifa, however, negotiated a truce that will see FKF have its way.

Gor Mahia this year became the Kenya Premier League’s most successful team after bagging the title for a record 14th time, once more than archrivals AFC Leopards.

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The team weathered difficult financial periods following the exit of title sponsor Tuzo in March, the departure of head coach Bobby Williamson who was appointed Harambee Stars boss in March, and the loss of several first team players in the mid-season transfer break.

Mr Williamson joined Gor last July at the league’s halfway mark following the sacking of Croatian Zdvarko Logarusic. The Scotsman led the team to its first title in 18 years. Following Mr Williamson’s departure, another Scotsman –Frank Nuttal – was appointed head coach for the club’s nine remaining fixtures. A 3-0 win over Ushuru FC on the last day of league fixtures saw K’ogalo nick the title for the second year in a row.

The club had to endure financial difficulties following its failure to secure a sponsor after Tuzo opted not to renew its partnership. The side was left to survive on gate collection fees, handouts from fans and well-wishers and a stipend from league broadcasters Supersport for TV rights.

Amid the financial uncertainty, the club lost key players Anthony Akumu who left for Sudan’s Khartoum National FC, Joseph Wanyonyi who left for AFC Leopards and Bandari loanee Shabaan Kenga who returned to his parent club.

Gor will represent Kenya in the CAF Champions League, which is set to kick off in January. Sofapaka, who won the GoTV Shield, will be the country’s representatives in the Confederations Cup.

For the second year running, community clubs took the top two positions in the league after Sofapaka finished just three points behind Gor Mahia who amassed 60 points. Nakuru All Stars and Nairobi City Stars were relegated after finishing bottom of the league and will be replaced by Posta Rangers and Shabana FC who emerged top of the Nationwide League.

Next year’s league looks set for expansion following arbitration by world governing body Fifa over a dispute between the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) management and the Football Kenya Federation (FKF). FKF wants an 18-team league next year while KPL insists on keeping the current 16-team format. Fifa, however, negotiated a truce that will see FKF have its way.

The planned expansion has elicited protest from the league’s broadcasters Supersport, who insist the move would be in breach of the contract it has with KPL for coverage of a 16-team league.

Another standoff is looming between FKF and KPL over next year’s broadcasters as the two seem to be looking to contract different parties. KPL is reported to have extended its deal with Supersport to the year 2020, which will see it earn more than Sh220 million. Out of this Sh7 million will be set aside every season to bolster club pockets.

FKF is, however, reported to have signed a deal with a European broadcaster for an undisclosed fee to have exclusive rights to the league. The move is set to open a new battle in the fight for control of the league between the two bodies.

On the pitch, national team Harambee Stars will finish the year ranked 116 in the world, two positions lower than it had managed in November.

The Stars have played just one friendly match, a 0-1 loss to Egypt in August, since being knocked out of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, which has led to a freefall from position 95 to 116 in just five months. The team’s position 95 ranking in July was the first top 100 placing in six years.

bwasuna@ke.nationmedia.com