Joash Onyango capped his solid performances in the 2019 Football Kenya Federation Premier League season by clinching the Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the Defender of the Year awards.He became the first defender to win the MVP award since its inception and the third Gor player to lay hands on it after George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo and Meddie Kagere who had bossed the end of season awards in 2010 and 2017 respectively.##NAJAVA_MECA_5988913##Onyango’s historic feat left many defenders who had initially been reduced to spectators in the race to claim the biggest award in the competition inspired and envious of following his footsteps.Among those who believe they stand a chance of emulating the achievements of the Simba SC man is fast rising Gor centre back Frank Odhiambo who was named the club’s October player of the month.Budding Gor defender Odhiambo grateful to OkumbiOdhiambo floored the club’s poster boy Benson Omala and the fleet-footed creative midfielder John Macharia to the award, an initiative of their shirt sponsor.He says the gong will lay a solid base for his quest to run away with the monthly awards dished by the league’s panel and will inspire him to put extra efforts aimed at convincing the panelists that he is an ideal candidate for the defender of the season and the MVP awards. “I never shy away from setting high individual targets for I know through hard work it is possible to achieve them. Joash demonstrated that winning the MVP is not reserved for goal scorers and midfielders and I am hoping that I will be the second defender to win the award this season. I am also eyeing the defender of the year and other monthly awards, he disclosed.Frank Odhiambo lauds Shakava partnershipThe burly defender’career has been on an upward trajectory since earning a call up to the national U20, team last year to the CECAFA tournament held in Tanzania as the decision by coach Stanley Okumbi to include him in the junior team proved his breakthrough in his career. Gor technical bench officials who sneaked into the Rising Stars training sessions lured him to join the record Kenyan champions shortly before the team crossed the border for the regional showpiece.##NAJAVA_MECA_5987849##After months of patience, he made his Gor debut in May and has since established himself as a key figure in the backline, forming a rock solid partnership with skipper Harun Shakava.The former Bongonaya FC player was roped in the national U23, Emerging Stars team for the CECAFA tournament held in Ethiopia in July and has a couple of Harambee Stars call ups under his belt. Various teams in Sweden are said to be closely monitoring his progress.
