Kenyan champions Gor Mahia have acquired the services of Brazilian Roberto Oliveira as their new head coach taking over from Steven Polack.
Club Chairman Ambrose Rachier confirmed the arrival of the tactician just less than 24 hours after announcing the departure of Finnish Polack who exited the club on mutual agreement.
“We are excited to announce the arrival of our new coach Roberto Oliveira from Brazil. He has had long coaching experience in Africa thus making him more conversant with African football. We think he will be a great asset in our quest to achieve better results on the field,” noted Rachier on the club’s official online portal
Roberto, who previously managed Rayon Sports of Rwanda, boasts of 25 years of coaching experience and has been to a number of African countries as head coach, the Middle East as well as his native country Brazil.
The new coach who faced Gor in a CAF competition three years ago while managing Rayon said he was looking forward to achieve the best in top-level competition.
“After leaving Rayon Sports, I got three offers to come back to Africa but I turned them down…. When Gor Mahia came knocking, I couldn’t turn it down because I like the club…. I like their style because I have seen Gor Mahia play many times and even had a tie against them in CAF competition. I am happy to be offered the chance to coach the team,” he said
Roberto says to achieve the best in Africa, collective effort is important: “Gor Mahia have won everything in local competition and it is about time to make a mark in CAF continental competitions. It will take the collective efforts of players, technical staff, and management to achieve what we want. I believe it can be done.”
The newly appointed Gor Mahia head coach Roberto Oliveira has set the bar high, hardly a day after overseeing his first training session.
The Brazilian oversaw his first session yesterday and according to his assistant Patrick Odhiambo, retaining the league and defying odds to win the Caf Champions League are his irreducible minimums for the new season.
Oliveira joined Gor last weekend, replacing Steven Polack who threw in the towel while on leave in Finland. With Gor seemingly peerless in the local elite competition, Odhiambo says his new boss is keen to guide the club in redeeming it’s image at the continental level having had an underwhelming campaign last season.
Additionally, the former Rayon Sports gaffer wants to win the coveted continental tournament, which has become a preserve for West and North African teams in the recent years.
“He wants the club to win every competition we will feature in the new season and the subsequent ones. He was clear with the boys that he wants to retain the league and win the Caf Champions League. He was pleased with the boys whom he took through the drills yesterday and I am looking forward to working with him, ” said the former Sony Sugar tactician
Odhiambo, in the meantime, believes the exit of Wellington Ochieng will not be felt going forward. The speedy right back parted company with the record champions on Sunday but Odhiambo says the duo of Kelly Wesonga and Kenyan international Philemon Otieno are equal to task.
Ochieng, who joined Gor in 2016 from Muhoroni Youth had been a mainstay at the defence from the time Otieno suffered a career threatening injury in August last year and was being tipped to give the latter a run for his money in the starting roles in the new season.
“Ochieng was one of the longest serving players in the squad but his departure will not be felt. We have Otieno, who is coming up well after almost a year out due to an injury. I have worked with Wesonga before at Sony and he has the mettle to don the Gor shirt and even walk to the starting team, ” said the former Chemelil Sugar coach.