Gor Mahia chair Ambrose Rachier set to address technical bench disputes

This development comes even as head coach Sinisa Mihic pushes for the exit of Team Manager Victor Nyaoro and assistants Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno and Michael Nam, citing insubordination and declaring he is unwilling to work with them.

On Monday, Rachier and new Secretary General Nicanor Arum attended the team’s training session at Mpesa Academy, where they held separate meetings with the players and the technical bench in an effort to resolve the bitter fallout, which players say is negatively affecting their Football Kenya Federation Premier League title campaign.

“I have assured the players that we are going to address the fighting in the technical bench and told them to respect the authority even if things are not right. They should focus on playing football,” said the experienced football administrator.

Rachier, a renowned city lawyer, together with his executive committee, will hold a technical meeting where a final decision on the technical bench squabbles will be made.

K’Ogalo fans are eagerly waiting to see whether Mihic's demands will be met or if the club will part ways with the Croatian coach, with only eight matches remaining to the end of the season. The defending champions are third in the log with 47 points, four points behind leaders Tusker, but with a game in hand. 

“I want to find out where the blame lies and urge them to act in unison,” added Rachier.

On Tuesday, Mihic led the team’s training at Dandora Stadium, though Otieno was notably absent, having also missed Monday’s session at Mpesa Academy. Nam and Nyaoro, however, were present at both sessions.

After initially chasing Otieno, Nam, and Nyaoro from the team on April 3, Mihic allowed them back after they apologised and reconciled, but tensions have since resurfaced in subsequent training sessions.

Midfielder Austin Odhiambo has found himself at the center of the controversy, with allegations suggesting he is being used by some members of the technical bench to undermine Mihic.

During Monday's training session, Odhiambo reportedly walked out on Mihic, only to be instructed by club management to return and apologise before rejoining the group.

Last Saturday, the internal differences again came to the fore when Mihic, serving a one-match ban and watching from the stands, walked out during the 1-1 draw against Sofapaka, claiming his instructions were being ignored.

“Austin is a good player but he has to be disciplined and follow my instructions and not others. He should even have been substituted in the game against Sofapaka. He had the ball, slowed the game down knowingly, and even when Omalla (Benson) and Bryson (Wangai) were in a good position to score, he couldn’t give them the ball,” Mihic said.

“I’m the coach and if he feels he is at a level where he can’t follow my instructions then he wouldn’t be part of my team,” Mihic added, as he took full charge of Monday’s training session.

A source within the team has revealed that Mihic is not desperate and does not fear the sack. However, he insists on having exclusive control of the team to secure the league title, hoping it will lead to a new two-year contract at the end of the season.

Mihic has also indicated that the ongoing squabbles are affecting his health and warned that he is ready to return to Croatia — even at his own expense — should the technical bench infighting persist.