In June last year, Benson Omalla returned to Gor Mahia after a failed six-month loan move to Swedish Division One side FC Linkoping City. He barely lasted two months in the European country that has lately been home to a number of Kenyan talents.“I have been forced to return home because of frustration, I was being played out of position and could not take it anymore,” Omalla lamented on his return.
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Still he wasn’t settled, going AWOL for two months after disagreeing with K’Ogalo’s technical bench, only to resurface in February this year. “I was recalled by the club management and we are going to have a meeting with them before I can resume playing in the league. I opted to go back home after writing letters to the club management over the issue and was training on my own while at home,” the 19-year-old, who joined Gor Mahia in 2020 told Daily Nation.Signed with so much promise from the now defunct Western Stima, Omalla was billed as the next Dennis Oliech, the Harambee Stars’ most prolific striker of all time, but the lack of consistency has worked against the expectations. However, under the new Gor Mahia Irish coach Johnathan McKinstry, Omalla seems to be regaining his mojo if preseason form is anything to go by.Against Talanta FC and Ulinzi Stars FC in Gor Mahia’s latest warm-ups, the prodigy scored a brace each.”There’s no doubt Benson (Omalla) is a very talented player, but we have to remember he’s still a young man,” McKinstry told Mozzart Sport. “He’s doing well, and adopting to what we’re trying to do, but I think for him you have to find the balance between going where the ball is and ultimately being judged by how many goals he scores at the end of the day.”
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The former Uganda Cranes coach knows that Gor Mahia has had great forwards in the past like Michael Olunga, Meddie Kagere, Jacques Tuyisenge and Dan Sserunkuma, and coming on board at the time he did, the pressure might have weighed heavily on Omalla to fit in the big shoes.”He’s developing well as the rest of the young players in our squad, and as a striker I expect him to get better in a competitive environment when the league starts.”Gor Mahia are planning more build up matches as they sharpen their competitive edge ahead of the expected 2022-23 Kenyan Premier League season kick-off sometime in November. K’Ogalo are expected to play against Wazito FC in Muhoroni this weekend.
