NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 28 – Gor Mahia head coach Jonathan McKinstry and his AFC Leopards counterpart Patrick Aussems have urged fans to turn out in large numbers on Sunday and create a memorable experience at the Mashemeji Derby between the two old-age rivals.
Derbies between the two sides have lost taste over the last few years, with limited attendances and not much fanfare around it.
But the two coaches have issued a rallying call to fans to make that different this time round, and create a memorable experience in Kenya’s signature fixture, recognizable all over Africa and the world.
“Coming from the UK, I would compare this to the Rangers vs Celtic (Old Firm) derby. It doesn’t matter if you are on form or not but the expectation is that you get on to the pitch and give everything you got. You have to bleed on the pitch for the course,” Gor Mahia’s McKinstry said.
He rallied on the fans; “My appeal is to the supporters whether you are green or blue, come out to the stadium on Sunday. We want to see the hey days of Kenyan football when we saw full stands in the stadia and you can’t even hear yourself think because of the atmosphere,”
“Come to the stadium early, make the atmosphere great and make the players feel you even before they get off the bus. Let us show Africa and the rest of the world the best of Kenyan football on and off the pitch,” he added.
His sentiments were echoed by AFC’s Patrick Aussems who said; “I know for the fans it will be special. I hope it will be a big crowd because the players deserve a big crowd in the stadium. I want to ask everyone to turn out in large numbers.”
This will be McKinstry’s first derby, having joined the team at the start of the season while Aussems has already been in three.
GOr enjoy dominance over Leopards over the past seven years, having never lost to their arch rivals since 2016.
