Gor Mahia dismiss captain's retirement and rumours of technical bench appointment
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Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 24.07.25. | 20:00
The club's Vice Chairperson branded the claims fake and false
Gor Mahia Vice Chairperson Sally Bolo has dismissed claims suggesting that club captain Philemon Otieno is set to retire and join the club’s technical bench as team manager.
Speculation had been rife that Otieno, whose contract is set to expire soon after signing a six-month extension in February, was being lined up for a transition into management.
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Reports circulating on social media claimed the experienced defender had applied for the vacant team manager position, fuelling talk of an imminent retirement.
However, in a strongly worded statement on Facebook and X, Bolo refuted the claims, branding them as “fake and false,” and affirmed that Otieno remains a key part of the club’s playing squad.
“Only in Kenya do we rush players into retirement while their age mates across Africa and beyond are still playing top-tier football at the highest level,” Bolo wrote.
“Today, word is going around that Gor Mahia’s captain is transitioning into management, yet he’s still an active player, fit and capable of delivering on the pitch. Why are we so quick to clip our own talent?”
She went on to urge for a shift in mindset regarding player longevity, arguing that football careers should be guided by form, fitness, and passion, not age or unfounded assumptions.
Only in Kenya do we rush players into retirement, while their age mates elsewhere are still competing at the highest levels of football.
— Sally Bolo (@SallyBolo) July 24, 2025
Today, I hear talk that Gor Mahia’s captain is transitioning to management yet he’s still an active player with plenty to offer on the pitch.…
“In countries with solid sports systems, players are supported to play for as long as they can perform. Here, we pressure them out early, sometimes for politics, sometimes for optics,” she added.
The position of team manager at Gor Mahia has remained vacant since last season, when the club opted to part ways with its entire technical bench following a trophyless campaign, an outcome the record FKF Premier League champions last experienced nearly a decade ago.
In July, the club formally declared the position open and invited qualified applicants.
Meanwhile, Gor Mahia is undergoing a broader technical restructuring, with appointments expected soon for several key positions, including head coach, assistant coach, team doctor, physiotherapist, analyst, and chief executive officer.
