Gor Mahia coach Jonathan Mckinstry was all smiles after the cliff-hanger pitting his lads against a resurgent Police FC in a Kenyan premiership encounter at Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani on Saturday afternoon.
The Irishman attributed the hard fought 2-1 victory to the “mental strength” of his charges.
Without the prejudiced eye of a Gor Mahia diehard, an honest opinion would be that the match could have gone either way, Gor escaping perhaps owing to experience and the luck of the draw.
Approaching the match, Gor fans had taken the battle to the Police doorstep, literally after they camped at the now popular Facebook page of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations warning the law keepers that they would be facing a long day at the office come Saturday.
Both teams lived up to the expectation although the Police coach on more than one occasion showed the signs of a man who could easily crack under pressure.
The quarrelling he engaged Gor Mahia players in was totally out of order and not to be expected from one in charge of a team drawn from member of the disciplined forces.
Kudos to the handful of Gor supporters who braved the scorching heat to cheer the boys on, showing that their dedication and patriotism can always be relied on at a crucial moment.
How I wish I would extend the same plaudits to the officials we have entrusted with the sacred duty of running the club.
Ever since I watched the first Gor Mahia match way back in 1984 as a pre-teen at the iconic City Stadium, I doubt if K’Ogalo has ever suffered from the curse of a dearth of leadership like we are witnessing now.
I have raised it time and again that there is an individual at the club hellbent on dragging us all to hell in a handbasket and nothing can be done to him.
I remember with nostalgia days when the fans held officials accountable— at times through not very conventional means— but the officials had it at the back of their minds that they were answerable to the rank and file of the club membership.
We have seen club officials running for dear life from irate fans.
Not really inciting anyone to anything untoward but when fans show such concern, those in charge tend to act with decorum.
I have taken to the stumps many times lamenting the opaque sale of replica jerseys and nothing is done.
A little bird is whispering to me a brewing scandal involving player training kits.
As if that is not enough, these scatterbrains had the audacity to sell fans fake tickets—from a Kenya vs Ghana match — on Saturday.
My advice to those behind these thefts: your day of reckoning will soon be here and when the consequences of your action catch up with you don’t cry foul.
Lastly, a Gor fan, the former top journalist turned PR honcho Washington Akumu agrees with me on the opaqueness of finances involving our beloved club.
He opines: When is the last time K’Ogalo officials issued a statement on gate collections, or any financial dealings?
Transparency and accountability is not just about what you do or don’t do. It’s about optics and perception. And perception eventually becomes your reality.
Under the current culture of seemingly institutionalised opaqueness, many fans would rather attend a branch fundraiser than a game, because the benefits of the former are more apparent and their cash is handled more in a relatively more transparent manner. BY DAILY NATION