Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier says the team was helpless and could no nothing to avoid the travel predicament which they have faced, thrusting them under the watch of a shocked country.
Gor’s journey to Morocco to honour tonight’s CAF Confederations Cup quarter finals against hosts RS Berkane has been riddled with controversy with the trip botching twice in Nairobi before leaving on Saturday, and in batches.
Speaking exclusively to Citizen Digital at the team’s base at the Melisa Saidia Beach Hotel in Morocco, Rachier said there was nothing much he could do.
“First of all let me begin by saying that flying to Morocco would have required 2,000 Euros for every member of the squad in air-tickets alone. The club, in its position does not have this kind of money.”
He went on: Finances is a problem. So someone may want to blame Rachier but we should question where that kind of money comes from.”
According to Rachier, the team had assurance from the government that they’ll get their bookings on time and upon getting the confirmation through the government ticketing agency they went to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport later on Thursday only for the trip to run into head winds.
The first batch of Gor Mahia squad, mainly fringe players arrived here this morning at 3am and immediately headed into their hotel rooms to catch some sleep with a majority of the first team squad still stranded at the Casablanaca International Airport.
Those who have arrived include goalkeeper Shaban Odhoji, Joachim Oluoch, Charles Momanyi, Bernard Ondiek, George ‘ Blackberry’ Odhiambo , Samuel Onyango, Francis Mustafa and Wellingtone Ochieng.
“Eleven Players, the head coach, team manager and team doctor had boarded Kenya Airways flight to Casablanca via Brazzaville on Friday night but it failed to take off due to technical problems. We then booked them on Qatar Air and they left on Saturday morning via Doha to arrive Sunday morning,” explained Rachier.
Plans have been mooted to get the second back a chartered flight from Casablaca Airport to be at the match venue on time but nothing has been firmed up yet.
The match kicks off at 8pm local time (10pm in Kenya).
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