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Gor Mahia defender Joash Onyango dismisses talks of Simba links


Gor Mahia assistant captain Joash ‘Berlin Wall’ Onyango has dismissed reports that he is on his way out of the club and he is heading to Tanzania giants Simba SC.

The centre back says nobody from Simba SC has approached him and his agent, Osman Ahmed, is not aware of any interest from Wekundu wa Msimbazi.

SIMBA INTEREST

Simba SC spokesman Haji Manara was on Monday quoted by the Tanzanian media saying they had singled out one Gor Mahia player whom they plan to sign when the transfer window opens in August.

Manara though didn’t reveal the name of the player with but reports indicate that he could be Onyango or club captain Kenneth Muguna who are the mainstay of K’Ogalo.

However, the Kenyan international said he is only sure of leaving Gor Mahia when his contracts expires in December.

“These reports are all over the media yet nobody from Simba has contacted me or my agent. I have not received any offer from them so I don’t think I’m the player they are talking about,” Onyango told Nairobi News.

The 27-year-old defender said that he would be ready to negotiate with any club interested in his services but that doesn’t mean he is in a hurry to leave the 18 time KPL champions.

FINANCIAL STRUGGLES

“If I don’t get any valuable offer then it is obvious I will play for my team until December. That is the current situation and let it be known that no club has approached me and said they are interested in my services as the transfer window nears,” he said.

The towering defender, who has been a regular starter since the exit of former captain Harun Shakava in 2017, also said that the current financial situation at K’Ogalo would not make him leave the club in unethical manner. He said that he will engage the club management if any good offer comes his way during the transfer window.

“Gor Mahia has been my home for four years and I have grown a lot since I joined them. It will be unforgiving to just leave without decorum because of salary arrears yet I have won three KPL titles and other awards with them,” added Onyango.

Gor Mahia has been struggling financially since the exit of their shirt sponsor SportPesa in August 2019. Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier recently publicly acknowledged that the club owes the playing unit and members of the technical bench five month salary arrears.

PLAYED KEY ROLE

Onyango, who joined Gor Mahia, from Western Stima in 2017 became the first ever defender to clinch the coveted Kenyan Premier League player of the year award, a fete he achieved in the 2018/19 season.

Muguna didn’t answer calls or text message sent to him by this scribe on whether he was the player on Simba SC radar.

Both players have played a key role in ensuring Gor Mahia stays at the top of the KPL table standings.

Simba has in the past raided K’Ogalo’s camp and signed iconic midfielder Francis Kahata and lethal goal poacher Meddie Kagere.

K’Ogalo leads the KPL log on 54 points, seven above second placed Kakamega Homeboyz with 10 matches to the end of the season.

The season still stands suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic which has claimed 85 lives in the country.