BWANA: Agwanda signing exposes Coach Nutalls philosophy

By Tom Bwana for Citizen Digital

Gor Mahia, Kenya’s most successful football club, has decided to sign Enock Agwanda, a terrible flop at his club Sofapaka? What explanation does Coach Frank Nutall have for this? His contract ran out at a miserably performing Sofapaka because the bosses there did not value him much.

A Sofapaka that could not beat a limping AFC Leopards did not see any need of renewing Agwanda’s contract so what will he offer to a 14 times league champion? What qualities does Agwanda possess, if he actually has any?

Ok, let’s be a little fair. Agwanda has scored 3 goals for Sofapaka in the first leg of the 2015 KPL season, he charges like a buffalo (the kind of guy behind whom you’d want to stand when ambushed by Al Shabaab), his body mass is typical of a striker in the 20^th century (remember the Roger Millas of this world?) and throws the ball with the velocity of a corner kick.

But is any of such qualities desirable for a table topping club that is on the verge of writing history in winning the league a record 15^th time? Are we going to scout and sign anyone who scores three goals for his club? I’m at a loss to think that Gor Mahia has signed Enock Agwanda for his ball-throwing skills.

It’s like saying a handball team is signing a player who knows how to use his legs well. If we want to play football to earn throw-ins then we’d rather start a handball team.

Players should be less physical

Enock Agwanda is a hard worker. That, I accept hands down. But would you prefer a dimwit that works hard? Maybe football has changed. But yes, it has. Modern football does not require hard work. In fact all hard working footballers either have their backsides glued to the bench with minimal playtime, if any or at the doctor’s nursing heavy injuries. We need brainy footballers. Today footballers, like in any sport, need to use more of their brains than chest.

This is not a policing work you are signing up for, you know! Even uniformed forces today need more diplomacy than force in its entirety.

It is inexcusable how some fans applaud this signing saying that we now have the bullish physique to face the physical sides like Ulinzi Stars. People of God, we are Gor Mahia, the most successful football outfit this side of the world.

We need more entertainment. It is not a horror movie we want to watch. We need less of players physically going against each other. We need more of brains encountering chests. This is Gor Mahia!

But what baffles me most is that Coach Frank Nutall actually recommended the signing of Enock Agwanda. I don’t understand how someone recommends the signing of Paul Were and Rama Salim also gives a wish list that has the strong jawed Noah Wafula and the buffalo Enock Agwanda all on the same day working as a coach for one club. I know the same sun that melts wax dries clay but here I have questions.

These are two extremes of football at display here. And here I begin to question the tactical qualities of the man at the coaching helm of Gor Mahia. If you can reject Danni Sserunkuma and pick Enock Agwanda then I begin to give up on you as a coach. In short, I don’t understand you!

Well, I am not the coach. Forget it. I’m not even a coach. I’ll have to wait and see what Agwanda brings to Gor Mahia. Nevertheless, point is made. He owes the club already. He’ll need to over-prove himself here.

Bwana is a sports commentator.  @TomBwana