Gor Mahia striker Benson Omala is still coming to terms with his failed transfer to Algerian club JS Saoura but how do K’Ogalo get him happy and scoring again?
Gor Mahia striker Benson Omala is still smarting from his aborted move to Algerian club JS Saoura in what was a sad end to a month-long saga that had linked him to the North African nation.
Omala was set to complete a six-month loan move to Algeria which would have earned his club Ksh33.2 million while the player was set to pocket a monthly salary of Ksh1.3 million.
That is now water under the bridge and as disappointing as it is, the striker will have to accept the bitter outcome and get back to work.
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However, getting the maximum from an unhappy player is a difficult task and is the situation Gor Mahia finds themselves in with their talisman. So, how do K’Ogalo get a tune out of Omala?
Arm around the shoulder
Omala should already be getting this in plenty from coach Johnathan McKinstry who should be happy to have him in his squad after reluctantly accepting to let him leave.
The Northern Irishman is good at motivating players and this should not be a hard task for him. With the failed transfer, Omala will feel greatly let down by the club and there is no better person to help him put that disappointment behind him than his coach.
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Assurance of another title tilt, Golden Boot win plus how he will improve his goal tally are some of the things that will help him overcome the heartbreak and look forward to another fruitful season in the green of Gor Mahia.
Get him scoring again
Strikers feed on goals and when they do not come, their confidence can be affected. Add that to the disappointment of a failed transfer, and the load becomes big.
Omala scored a record-equaling 26 goals last season as he led Gor Mahia to a record-extending 20th title and he has nine this season, which makes him the league’s leading scorer.
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However, he has not scored in their last six games, even though the team won all but one of them, and with hopes of starting on a clean slate in Algeria up in smoke, he needs to get among the goals in the FKF Premier League.
That will call for a collective effort from his team-mates to ensure they find him on a consistent basis and once he gets back in the groove, he will be able to get a smile back and maybe help him forget the ordeal.
Shield him from the spotlight
It is hard to go under the radar when playing for Gor Mahia but this is what might be needed to help Omala get back to his brilliant best.
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Limiting his mainstream and social media presence will aid the forward avoid having to answer questions about the transfer which will in turn help him to not only focus on the job at hand but also get his mind off the saga.
Fans off his case
K’Ogalo fans are a demanding lot and will still expect 100 per cent from Omala, never mind the mental state he might be in.
It is the day-to-day life of a footballer, especially those who play for top clubs, but the supporters might need to cut him some slack for a short period of time as he recovers from the disappointment.
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While he will be keen to impress, it is possible that he might miss a chance or two, some very glaring ones, but cheers instead of jeers from the stands will be helpful for him at this time.
Pay rise, perhaps?
Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier admitted it was difficult convincing a player who earns Ksh150,000 a month to stay when he had an offer of Ksh1.3 million a month on the table and now that it has failed, would a few extra coins be helpful?
This is not a must since he is already on a contract and it is also dependent on many factors but everybody would like to boost their bank balance.
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Omala would not be the first as this is a tactic that has been used by clubs around the world to make their key players happy especially after a failed transfer.
While a contract extension might prove difficult at this time, an improvement of terms on the current one could go along way in repairing the damage.
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