How Levin Odhiambo has dealt with being unable to kick a ball for Gor Mahia two months since joining

How Levin Odhiambo has dealt with being unable to kick a ball for Gor Mahia two months since joining

Mark Kinyanjui 06:02 - 14.06.2024

Odhiambo joined Gor Mahia from Tusker two months ago but has not kicked a ball for the record league champion due to registration hitches.

Gor Mahia leftback Levin Odhiambo has opened up on his frustrations at not being able to kick a ball for the club two months after completing his move to the club from Tusker under controversial circumstances.

Odhiambo would have expected to play a huge role for the club after joining but has not been allowed to play owing to registration issues, especially considering he joined on a free transfer and after the mid-season transfer deadline.

As a result, he cannot be registered until the next window opens, which leaves him with no choice but to wait until the start of next season to debut for the club.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Sports Eye, Odhiambo opened up on how he has had to deal with being forced to train but sit in the stands for Gor Mahia games.

“It has affected the target I had put in for the season given I had a proper start to the year at Tusker. I just have to lay low, work hard off the pitch. It is a little bit frustrating but I have to be ready for the challenge.”

Odhiambo is not one to feel sorry for himself, putting on a defiant tone as he continues to bide his time and wait for the right opportunity to come in again.

“As a player, you always have to be prepared for anything because you might not stay somewhere for a very long period of time.”

Odhiambo will certainly miss not being able to work with new Gor Mahia coach Johnathan McKinstry for much longer, considering that it was the Northern Irish tactician who played a huge role in convincing him not to extend his stay at Tusker.

“Maybe. We talked with him a couple of times before I came in. He gave me the confidence to come here. I saw it coming but overall, showing that he believed in me put a lot of motivation into me.”

Odhiambo is choosing to look at the bigger picture with regards to his career prospects, as he has credited someone close to him for his move to Gor Mahia in order to give him a bigger chance of launching his professional career abroad.

“I won’t mention the name, but they told me that if I had aspirations of ever wanting to move out of the country, I’d have to join Gor Mahia. That was early in my Tusker career.

“I was like ‘okay’. After completing the move, I went back to him and told him that I hoped it would be true.”

Odhiambo also dreams of being a part of the Gor Mahia folklore and be a Mashemeji derby hero in future, having observed how those games used to be built up during his childhood.

“Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards were the teams with very heavy fanbases. You could see the anticipation to the match building up two or three weeks before,and I wanted to be a part of that.

“I was welcomed well even before the move was completed and coming in as well, everyone was ready to receive me and I was very comfortable here.”

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