Gor Mahia head coach Jose ‘Ze Maria’ Mercelo Ferreira in a jovial mood with Fidelity Insurance James Waga who presented him with the Coach of the Month Award for March.PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya
NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 19 – Gor Mahia tactician Jose ‘Ze Maria’ Marcelo Ferreira has been named the Fidelity Insurance Coach of the Month for March to become the first to win the award this season.
Ze Maria was voted unanimously by the Sports Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK) Football Commission after recording a perfect run in March, collecting all available six points.
The Brazilian tactician began the campaign with a 3-1 victory over newbies Kariobangi Sharks before beating another promoted side Zoo Kericho 1-0 to top the table that month.
The coach who won it once last season was rewarded with Sh75, 000 and a trophy engraved with his name after the team’s training at Camp Toyoyo Ground in Jericho, Nairobi.
“My players did it in those two games it’s not me so I dedicate it to them for a job well done. I am happy because they (players) did well and we have to continue this way. We began the season by winning a trophy and we want to win the other remaining three ahead of us,” an elated Ze Maria said after being awarded.
Gor Mahia head coach Jose ‘Ze Maria’ Mercelo Ferreira with team.PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya
“We played five matches in the preseason and lost all of them and it worried a lot of people so I told my players it was important to get prepared for the first game of the season. We played well against Kariobangi Sharks; a small team that gave us a hard time just like all other teams they want to beat us so we have to be awake, serious and professional in all matches.”
Ze Maria who joined Gor last season, won the award ahead of Nzoia United’s Bernard Mwalala, Posta Ranger’s Sammy ‘Pamzo’ Omollo, Paul Nkata of Bandari and Francis Kimanzi of Mathare United who all managed to collect four points out of a possible six points.
K’Ogalo have lost only once this season, a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Western Stima in Kisumu.
They however, managed to bounce back with a 2-1 win over Sony Sugar last weekend to reclaim the top spot on the Kenyan Premier League standings on 12 points.
