Frank Nutall. PHOTO FILE/ Raymond Makhaya
NAIROBI, February 8 – It is frequently remarked that success is easy to attain but difficult to maintain.
That is what SportPesa Premier League (SPL) champions Gor Mahia will be considering as the 2016 season get underway this weekend where they host Madagascans CNaPS in the opening leg of the CAF Champions League preliminary round.
However, head coach Frank Nuttall admitted it will be a tall order to surpass last year’s splendid performance where they won the league unbeaten and a third title in a row, lifted the KPL Top 8 trophy, bagged the DSTV Super Cup and reached the final at Cecafa Kagame Cup where they fell 2-0 to Tanzanians Azam FC.
“It will be difficult for us to better what we did last year and I don’t think there will be any team in the league that will surpass what we did last year. We raised the bar high for ourselves but we will take a game at a time to see we return positive results,” the Scotsman underscored.
K’Ogalo who are out to chase five trophies, began the season on a sour note after letting one title slip away when they went down 1-0 to GOtv Shield winners Bandari in Saturday’s DSTV Super Cup decider.
Nuttall warned his charges indiscipline will not be tolerated after his center-half, Harun Shakava was sent off while right-back Karim Nizigiyimana and former Gor striker Dan Sserunkuma escaped red cards after the two were involved in a scuffle during the SPL curtain raiser.
“The first thing is Nizigiyimana should not have retaliated. Maintaining decorum is key and we don’t condone that behavior. I expect my players to have discipline so I think both players should have been sent off.”
Gor have now the league and KPL Top 8 trophies to defend and Nuttall is positive his new signings, Rwandan forward Jacques Tuyisenge, Jacob Keli as well as midfielder Francis Kahata will gel in time.
“The new group of players are still in the learning process. They are focused and from their hard work during pre-season, they will be of great impact .
“A player like Luke Ochieng played a couple of pre-seasons games and he did well same as Keli who is trying to find some fitness but he is doing well,” the reigning Coach of the Year stated.
Nuttall was reinstated as the head coach 24 hours after announcing he had parted ways with Gor.
The Scotsman is yet to have full house with Uganda Cranes midfielder, Khalid Aucho yet to report while winger Ali Abondo is in South Africa attending trials with Premier Soccer League side Ajax Cape Town FC.
