NAIROBI, Kenya, March 29- Croatian Zdravko Logarušić is the new Gor Mahia head coach following his appointment on Thursday.
Gor have followed archrivals AFC Leopards in turning to Europe for technical expertise as they seek to reverse their torrid start to the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) season where they lie 12th and preliminary round exit from this season’s CAF Confederation Cup.
K’Ogalo who have only mustered six points have only won once in the league back in February when they beat Thika United 2-0 away at the Thika Municipal Stadium.
The have lost to Karuturi, Tusker and new comers Muhoroni Youth besides drawing against perennial rivals Leopards, Rangers and Sony Sugar.
The new coach will be deputised by Gor legend John ‘Bobby’ Ogolla who has been in acting position after the club’s management disbanded its entire technical bench led by Cameroon national Anaba Anono last month.
This was in the aftermath of their Confederations Cup exit at the hands of Ferraviario de Maputo of Mozambique and subsequent league loss to Karuturi in Naivasha that invited protests from their vocal support.
The team’s harrowing season took a turn for the worse after the Sports Stadia Management Board (SSMB) banned them from hosting any of their matches at their venues – Nyayo National Stadium and Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani- for the rest of the season.
This was as a result of crowd trouble during their derby with rivals Leopards that saw Gor fans cause chaos in and outside the stadium after their Victor Ali was red carded mid way through the second half after a bad tackle on Amon Muchiri.
KPL secretariat is expected to make their ruling over the chaos on Friday in what could spell another costly punishment for the club that forked out a Sh2m fine last season over crowd trouble.
Mid last season, Leopards who had stuttered to an indifferent start fired Robert Matano and appointed Dutch septuagenarian Jan Coops as head coach and they now sit top of the log after a storming unbeaten start to the campaign.
