Gor Mahia head coach Leonardo Martins Neiva has shed some light on why he benched right back Rooney Onyango in the CAF Champions League second-preliminary round return leg against Al Ahly saying that it was due to “disciplinary issues.”Neiva surprised many K’Ogalo fans on the eve of last Saturday’s clash when he hinted at benching Onyango due to being “50/50 and not 100 percent right now.”Why Rooney Onyango will be benched against Al AhlyThe Brazilian coach did indeed sideline the Kenyan international, as he was missing altogether from the matchday squad that ended up losing out 3-0 (6-0 aggregate) in Cairo.Speaking exclusively to SportsBoom, Neiva gave the reasons for his decision, saying: “Rooney missed the game because of lack of commitment, behaviour, and discipline. We are a team and we need to work together for teamwork.”##NAJAVA_MECA_8361858##It is understood that Onyango, who played a key role in helping the team advance to the competition’s second preliminary round, stormed out of a team training session on Friday in Cairo, as he disagreed with the coach’s decision to field him in an offensive position.Asked about the player’s future at Gor Mahia, Neiva said: “This is an internal issue that we are going to solve.”The role Brian Mandela played in Bwire’s transfer to South Africa’s Polokwane City FCIdeally a right-back, Onyango has played in a variety of positions this season, with Neiva even pushing him to a striking role when he scored twice against South Sudanese side El Merreikh Bentiu in Nairobi on 25 August. In the aftermatch of that game, Neiva praised his newly-found gem saying: “Rooney played really well. He is a very gifted, quality player who can play in many positions.”It now appears like there has been a significant rift between the two parties, even as Gor Mahia begin their FKF Premier League season this Saturday.
