Bring on these fixtures! Gor thrives in adversity

“A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for."

This famous quote believed to have been penned in 1928 by John A. Shedd came to my mind when I looked at the fixtures our beloved Gor Mahia have been handed in the month of August.

Just as a pointer, the hard fighting K’Ogalo have three games in the next seven days against Bandari (Tuesday), Posta Rangers (Friday) and Chemelil Sugar (Sunday).

In the same month we have a derby against those lowly kittens calling themselves (AFC) Leopards, meanwhile we have some small matters to settle with our opponents in the Caf Confederation Cup.

It is a Herculean task that can snap the spine of a team with a weak strength constitution.

But then again, we are Gor Mahia and we thrive in such circumstances.

If in doubt, ask some team going by the name of Young Africans or simply Yanga from President John Pombe Magufuli’s country.

When we were through with them in the return leg of the continental competition, Pombe Magufuli’s boys looked like they were apostles of Bacchus, the Roman god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine and ritual madness.

They were dazed and looked like they were high on something.

Only the Gor Mahia fans knew what our opponents were high on - the goals they had soaked in!

MR PRESIDENT

I am in no position to advise our coach Dylan Kerr (by the way if you remove one ‘R’, the man’s name means President in Dholuo) as he discharges his duty, but one thing I would like to point out to the good man is tell the boys to remain focused.

We are in the most exciting season of the club’s 50 years of existence and we are at the cusp of reaping big dividends.

I am happy that “President” Kerr is pleased with the tight fixtures.

According to the man, it is out of such circumstances that great teams are moulded.

Now our plea to you good sir, turn the boys from players to warriors.

As I said last week, we need to see blood. Our opponent’s blood!

In the same vein, I was happy with the 2-2 draw against Nakumatt that the boys came back with from their Machakos hunting on Saturday.

On paper, it appeared like a walk over but at the final whistle, it was a stunning draw - from our point of view.

This should help remind our players that every match is a do or die tie.

In the words of the captain of the day Philemon Otieno: It is hard luck. We did everything we could to get a win in vain. We keep the focus heading into the next match.”

In signing off, I want to thank an Ingwe die-hard Dr Khaoya Nabiswa of Aga Khan Hospital who is a faithful reader of this column. Ahsante daktari.