Ex-Gor Mahia official backs Omala after disappointing Sweden sojourn

Former Gor Mahia treasurer, Sally Bolo has backed Benson Omala to bounce back from his disappointing spell in Sweden with FC Linkoping City.

Omala is set to terminate his loan deal with the Swedish third-tier side barely a month after he joined them from Gor Mahia on a six-month loan deal. The player is said to have opted out after the club failed to honour some clauses that had been agreed on before he flew to Sweden at the start of May.

The striker is said to have been frustrated by the club’s decision to play him out of position. He featured as a right-back and midfielder in the matches he played in Sweden, the closest he came to playing as a striker was when he was deployed on the right-wing.

Bolo has now taken to social media to back the Kenya U20 national team striker. According to the former football administrator, the young attacker will get better opportunities as age is on his side.

“Benson Omalla has returned home because his contract with Linkoping City was not fulfilled. The decision to return home was decided after discussing with the player. I'm convinced that another opportunity will present itself at the opportune time because the boy is young and has promise,” Bolo tweeted on Saturday morning.

The move to Sweden was brokered by Kenyan-Swedish promoter Ken Ring in March 2021. The terms of the deal would see Linkoping cater for Omala’s welfare during his time in Sweden and should he impress the club during the loan period, they would sign him permanently from Gor Mahia.

Omala shot to prominence during the 2019-2020 Kenyan Premier League campaign where he scored seven league goals while he was still a schoolboy at Kisumu Day Secondary School. The season was stopped midway by the Covid-19 pandemic and when the window opened, Gor swopped for him with a five-year deal on the table.