Michael Nam rates four foreign coaches he worked under at Gor Mahia
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Reading Time: 2min | Wed. 12.11.25. | 10:25
During that time, he worked under four foreign coaches, Andre Spiers, Jonathan McKinstry, Leonardo Martins and Sinisa Mihic
Having worked as an assistant coach at former FKF Premier League champions Gor Mahia, Michael Nam has opened up on what it is like to serve under four foreign coaches.
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Nam, who recently left promoted side APS Bomet, is currently a free agent. He was appointed assistant coach at Gor Mahia in February 2022 and only left this year.
During that time, he worked under four foreign coaches, Andre Spiers, Jonathan McKinstry, Leonardo Martins and Sinisa Mihic.
Nam says he was impressed by McKinstry’s attention to detail and ability to delegate.
“Even before he took over the team, he took time to speak to me and asked that I give him an update on every player regarding their abilities, weaknesses and strengths, as well as the club’s style of play, which I sent him.
Once he joined the team, he never interfered with our style of play, and he let me handle all training programs as his assistant. I can best describe him as someone who understood his role as a manager,” he explains.
Mckinstry joined Gor Mahia in July 2022, replacing Spiers, whose six-month contract had expired. He stayed at the club until 2024, when he left to join the Gambian national team as head coach. During his time, McKinstry won two league titles.
The Northern Irishman was replaced by Leonardo Martins Neiva from Brazil, who lasted for only five months from July to November 2024.
Nam believes the Brazilian's tenure was marked by poor results because he had insisted on playing in the league without six key players who had been on national duty with Harambee Stars.
“Harambee Stars played most of their international matches out of the country for the better part of the last two years due to the lack of a FIFA-accredited stadium.
So by the time the players came back to Gor Mahia, they were always tired and could not help the club. That is what let him down,” he pointed out.
He believes Croatian Sinisa Mihic, who replaced Neiva, did not take the time to study the team before initiating changes.
Mihic, who joined Gor Mahia in February this year, lasted only three months, leaving in May after a spate of poor results and dressing room disagreements with his assistants.
“Sometimes his formations did not fit with the players we had at the time, and obviously, the results did not come, and then the blame games started,” says Nam.
