Gor Mahia head coach Johnathan McKinstry has shed light on the departure of the club’s experienced forward, George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo, who is beloved by the fans.
Blackberry, who had been training with the club despite not being registered for the season, officially parted ways with Gor Mahia at the beginning of October.
McKinstry addressed the perplexing situation of Blackberry’s presence at the club training grounds since the league started.
“George was informed at the start of the preseason that we didn’t see a future for him in the team. You have to give respect to players because you don’t want to mishandle them, and it’s important to tell them early so they can make decisions about their lives and their families,” the coach clarified.
“So, back in July, George was quite comfortable to sit and train with us. He was not registered to play, but he wanted to see out his contract, which ended two days ago (last Thursday).”
Despite the departure, McKinstry praised Blackberry’s contributions to the club, acknowledging his significance by saying, “We wish George the very best. He obviously leaves us with many fond memories. He has been a giant of the club. Wherever he ends up in the mid-transfer window, if that is what he chooses to do, there’s no doubt he will cause problems if he plays against us.”
McKinstry also highlighted the club’s decision to focus on nurturing young talents,”It’s not that he is not a good player, but when you see the likes of Mugisha and Sibomana, young Alvin Ochieng, there is a lot of speed and technical talent, and we just felt that it’s the right time to usher in a new generation,” he added.
George “Blackberry” Odhiambo’s journey with Gor Mahia has been marked by ups and downs.
He first joined the club in 2009 at the age of 16, earning accolades as the Most Promising Player in his debut year and subsequently being crowned Player of the Year.
His career took him to Denmark with Randers, then Finland’s Kuopino, Tanzania’s Azam, and Armenia’s Shikar and Ulisses. Despite his international ventures, Blackberry always found his way back to Gor Mahia.
His return in 2014 coincided with a period of immense success for the club, as they clinched titles in 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018-19.
Blackberry then left for Tusker and added the 2020-21 crown to his collection before making his final return to Gor in 2021 and helping them secure the last season’s championship.