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Gor Mahia head coach, Johnathan Mckinstry, has made it clear to new signing Levin Odhiambo that earning a spot in the starting lineup won’t be an easy task with Geoffrey Ochieng occupying a pivotal role.

Following the expiration of his one-year contract with Tusker FC, Odhiambo swiftly made the move to Gor Mahia.

Gor Mahia competition

However, Mckinstry emphasized that Odhiambo will face stiff competition from club captain Ochieng, who he hailed as one of the standout players in the league this season.

“It is not an easy position to get into the team. Geoffrey Ochieng has been probably one of the KPL players of the year this season, so Levin has a big fight on his hands to get minutes when he does become available,” Mckinstry pointed out.

While there were speculations that Odhiambo could make his debut against Kakamega Homeboyz, Mckinstry clarified that the player will only feature once the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) provides official confirmation of his eligibility.

“We are just waiting for it to be formally confirmed in writing, and once we have that formal confirmation, then he becomes available for selection,” Mckinstry stated.

The coach also revealed that initial attempts to secure Odhiambo’s signature in January were unsuccessful due to Tusker FC’s high demands.

However, Gor Mahia remained patient and eventually secured the deal on a free transfer.

Gor Mahia attempts

“We give the Executive Committee maybe a list of 10, 12 players whom we want to try and capture over the next 12-18 months. Levin Odhiambo is someone we thought for July. Yes, we wanted him, we tried to get him in January,” Mckinstry explained.

He continued, “We were willing to negotiate with his previous club, we put in an offer, and we were expecting a counteroffer from them, but they did not want to let him go. We knew his contract was ending, and it ended last week, and he has joined us. We are very pleased, and we have been told verbally by the FKF that he is eligible to play for the rest of the season for us in a green shirt.”