Johnathan McKinstry explains what makes Gor Mahia different from other clubs

Gor Mahia head coach Johnathan McKinstry is confident that the Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL) record champions are heading in the right direction. 

According to McKinstry, the commitment to invest and develop in young players is what sets Gor Mahia apart from other clubs in the country. 

The Northern Irish international was reacting to the recent inclusion of six K’Ogalo players to the national senior and U20 teams that are expected to feature in the inaugural four-nations tournament to be staged in Malawi between March 18 and March 26.

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Three senior players from the club including the leading FKFPL goal scorer Benson Omalla, Ronney Onyango and Shariff Musa were called to the Harambee Stars squad which will be captained by Qatar-based forward Michael Ogada Olunga.

In addition, three other budding talents – Mark Shaban, Paul Ochuoga and Joshua Onyango - were included in the U20 Rising Stars provisional squad which will be trimmed before the team jets off to Malawi. 

A delighted McKinstry stated that the move shows their scouts are doing excellent work to identify football talents and cited the player’s hard work and commitment as another key factor. 

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“To have six players involved between the senior and U20 national team, I think it, first of all, reflects very well on their work ethic and their development as players but also as a club, it shows you the type of players we are looking to bring in,” he commented.

“And it is also not as though they are our older players, you know Benson and Rooney [Onyango] are both only 22 years old, Shariff [Musa] sort of 23 years old. It is all our young players, It shows you our commitment to developing a young team here at Gor,” explained the former Uganda Cranes tactician. 

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K’Ogalo have opened a seven-point gap at the top of the FKFPL table, with 10 games remaining to the end of the 2023/2024 season and they are the favorites to lift the coveted trophy. 

The SportPesa-sponsored club would be seeking to bounce back from the narrow 1-0 defeat at the hands of Bandari when the league resumes after the international break.

 The record Kenyan champions next welcome Kakamega Homeboyz on 6 April.

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