Gor Mahia was eagerly expected to once again rub shoulders with the big names of Africa in the CAF Champions League this season after two years in the cold, but that opportunity went up in smoke in the most incompetent way.After winning a record 20th Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL) last season against all odds, returning to continental football was to be the icing on the cake for K’Ogalo, and the excitement within the fan base was palpable. Yet, administrative incompetence saw CAF, the Confederation of African Football, lock the team out on a technicality after the club’s Club Licencing certificate was revoked for failure to fully honor past player contractual obligations. In an exclusive OneOnOne interview with award winning journalist Jeff Kinyanjui on his YouTube channel, Gor Mahia coach Johnathan McKinstry spelt out elaborate plans for a return to continental football for the club, which included amongst others strengthening the squad. K’Ogalo Secretary General Sam Ocholla had previously indicated that Gor Mahia would play three quality friendlies against TP Mazembe of the DRC, Rayon Sports of Rwanda and Uganda’s Vipers SC ahead of the matches.But with the bubble burst, what next for the club, and will McKinstry stay? CONFIRMED: Gor Mahia locked out of the CAF Champions League##NAJAVA_MECA_7390535##Probed by Jeff about his future with K’Ogalo days before the shocking news, the former Uganda Cranes coach said that, while “it’s hard to know, really,” he was comfortable at the moment, and would only leave when his ambitions were in conflict with those of the management. “For me, it’s always about, ‘do I think that the ambitions of both me and the supporters and the players are being fulfilled, are we able to move forward?,” McKinstry posed. Getting the club to win the league and feature in continental football, targets he achieved, he said would have been fulfilling and good for their careers. RACHIER: No more foreign players for Gor Mahia”As long as I feel we’re being fulfilled as professionals, and that we’re pushing forward, then I’ll be here, there’s no doubt about that, but the moment I feel there’s a divergence in terms of what I think is right and what the club thinks is right then at that point I think we would shake hands, remain good friends, but go our separate ways,” the Irishman said. With the ambition of playing continental football gone, it remains to be seen if he will stay.
