NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 4- Former Gor Mahia left back Erick ‘Marcelo’ Ouma is set to become the third K’Ogalo player to re-unite with former head coach Jose Marcelo Ferreira at his Albanian base with KF Tirana after Musa Mohammed and Kenneth Muguna.
Ouma who has left Georgian top tier side Kolkheti Potti is currently in the country to finalize on paperwork before travelling to Albania.
Tirana have loaned him out to fellow second tier side KS Kastrioti for a period of six months before they free up one foreign player slot in their squad during the mid-year transfer window.
“I have always respected Ze Maria and will always remember the platform he gave me at Gor hence I couldn’t turn down an opportunity to work with him again. Georgia gave me a platform to adapt to European style of play, I picked massive lessons that will help my Albania experience,” Ouma said.
Kastrioti eye a slot in the Albanian Superliga as they top Group A of the second tier with a seven point gap over closest opponents Egnatia Rrogozhinë and Ouma hopes he can use the six months he has at the club to push for their promotion.
Tirana also leads Group B of the second tier and in the event the two teams finish the season in the same positions, then they will earn qualification to the top tier. They will also clash n a play-off to decide the winner of the Second Division.
The left back who broke into the limelight during his first season at Gor Mahia straight from Kakamega High School is hoping the ladder at Tirana will help launch his career into bigger heights.
His move to Georgia especially after a stellar season at Gor had attracted huge backlash from fans and football stakeholders led by then national team first coach Stanley Okumbi who argued that Georgia was not a step up for him and his potential.
Once it became clear that he was leaving Potti, Ouma was also a prime target for Iranian top tier side F.C. Pars Jonoubi Jam who had tabled a hefty deal with salaries rumoured to be close to Sh1mn and bonuses adding to another Sh500,000.
“I felt it wasn’t time for me to play in Asia. I believe I still have a lot to offer in Europe for career progression,” Ouma said on his reasons for turning down the lucrative Iranian deal.
Meanwhile, sources close to Capital Sport intimate that two other Kenyans playing in Poti, midfielder Amos Nondi and winger John Macharia will also be on the move before the Georgian transfer window closes on March 31.
According to the source, a change in ownership at the club brought with it a change in coaching personnel which seems to threaten the duo’s playing time.