Musa Mohammed makes 200 appearances for Gor Mahia

Musa Mohammed makes 200 appearances for Gor Mahia

The new signings at Gor Mahia in January 2015 cast a spell of doubt over the future of Musa Mohammed at the club. Gauging from his 2014 position and form, many pundits went as far as recommending a change of clubs for him.

Distantly they seemed to have a point anyway. Burundian Karim Nizigiyimana and Rwandan Abouba Sibomana seemed to have been great picks for k’Ogalo on the fullback positions. The arrival of center back Glay Dirkir from Thika United made the situation even worse as everyone expected the Liberian to partner with Harun Shakava to fill the void left by the exit of ironman David Owino. Where would one honestly place Musa Mohammed?

We are in August and the pessimists have been silenced. Musa Mohammed has played the most matches in the squad – in fact in the whole season the only match he’s missed is at CECAFA group stage against South Sudan’s Al Malakia, has failed to don the captain’s armband only once – against Lang’ata Gremio in GOtv Shield first round – only because Captain Jerry Onyango started the match and, against Nairobi City Stars on Saturday, Musa made his 200th competitive appearance for Gor Mahia.

Of course such records would be Sunday school stuff if compared to the length of stay of the likes of Alan Thigo at k’Ogalo. But if we are to judge the intelligence of tilapia on its ability to climb a tree, the piscine creature will forever remain stupid. Playing 200 matches in modern age football is an achievement that should forever be lionized in indelible ink in the records of a club.

He may not hog headlines at Gor Mahia like the Michael Olungas of today’s football, but when the history of the club’s rise from serial underachievers in the early 2000s to title winners is told, few players will deserve a more prominent place in the narrative than Musa Mohammed. The Lang’ata High school graduate has been the granite rock on which k’Ogalo’s elaborate palace has been built: a solid defender who often and cautiously buccaneers upfront in the modern mound, but one who never neglects his defensive duties.

Musa Mohammed makes world class strikers look ordinary and ordinary strikers look like they want a change of jobs.
Musa Mohammed makes world class strikers look ordinary and ordinary strikers look like they want a change of jobs.

Managers have come and gone in his six years at Gor, but all have considered him indispensable. Look, Coaches Gideon Ochieng’, Zedekiah Otieno, Anaba Awono, Zdravko Logarušić, Bobby Williamson and Frank Nuttall, all under whom Musa has played at Gor, have all kept faith in him through the years. Even when Zdravko Logarušić arrived in 2012 and preferred to use his special four of Ivan Anguyo, Donald Mosoti, David Owino and Chris Wekesa in defense, the Croat still had Musa as his secret card that he unleashed in games that mattered to him.

“I always believed in mountain-like defenders,” begins Coach Zdravko who is currently swimming in his flip-flop relationship at AFC Leopards, “but Musa is special. He is such a vital utility player; the kind every coach would want in his squad.”

It is this aspect of utility that impresses Mandela Cup winning defender Tobias Ochola Jua Kali while congratulating Musa Mohammed on his 200th appearance. “In modern day football you cannot compete favorably if you are stuck on one position. In fact it is only this season after 2011 that he’s playing stopper otherwise he’s been to both flanks of the defense. And that is commendable.”

Musa Mohammed makes for a superb defender – formidable in the air, tenacious in the tackle and an astute reader of the game. His thoroughbred performance as a roaming defender has been key to Gor Mahia’s glory in the trophies the club has won in the last four seasons.

He is the kind of player that the legendary Bobby Ogola describes as unique when pressed to compare with the defenders of his glorious 70s and 80s. “There can never be a copy of Musa Mohammed – not even a bad one!” says the former defender.

Musa may not be a Shikokoti when it comes to aerial presence in the goal area – a key requisite in defense – but Bobby Ogola is quick to dismiss this notion saying height in itself is not necessarily the express indicator of a good defender.

Nevertheless he’s clinical in his area. He makes world class strikers look ordinary and ordinary strikers seem like they need a change of job. Musa has this particular forte for ushering opposing strikers into positions so tight that they are forced to take risks from which he more often than not nicks the ball.

“If there’s only one defender to beat for a speedy striker to get to me I’d wish that defender is Musa Mohammed. He’s the best I know around.” Jerry Onyango

On the downside, talking of scoring goals, Musa is the type that will stay for seasons without appearing in the score sheet. In his 6 year career at k’Ogalo he has managed a paltry 2 goals; one at CECAFA 2014 in the 2-2 draw against Djibouti’s Telecom and the fatal penalty kick against KCB on 11th September 2010 at Nyayo stadium.

Clearly fighting tears at the corners of his eyes and the screechy manner in which he speaks as we discuss this, Musa Mohammed still has bad memories of that afternoon. “When I later learnt that a fan died celebrating my goal I decided never to take penalty kicks again. Horrendous does not even begin to describe it.”

For his failure to score goals Musa Mohammed makes up by defending solidly. He’s always the last on his half line when Gor Mahia is taking a corner kick and more recently a hilarious scenario plays itself out when he marshals everyone, Shakava included, to run upfront whenever new signing Enock Agwanda is due to take a throw-in.

Musa is so good a defender Captain Jerry Onyango only fell short of calling him the best available when asked which defender he’d prefer to be in front of him when opponents have only one to beat to get to the goalkeeper. “Musa Mohammed, any day!” declares Goalkeeper Jerry Onyango who, with 226 appearances, leads in the current Gor Mahia squad, “I know by the time Musa is done with a marauding striker that striker is either too clueless to beat me or he’s fouled already.”

From a young boy who admired boxing and possibly considered it as his would-be career having lived watching his boxer sister Fatma Zarika throw punches in the ring, Musa Mohammed had his mind fixed on sports as a career. Well, he may have been a lawyer if football did not work out but here we are staring at his 200th appearance for the club he has loved since childhood.

But Musa’s story is that of fine wine that is repeatedly said to mature with age. When he appeared for Lang’ata High School in the 2009 Secondary School games he was probably masked by the scintillating show of team mates Kevin Omondi, David Gateri and Simon Mbugua who spurred the Nairobi team beating Kapenguria High School to win the national championships. “Comparing Musa to what he was six years ago is an uphill task,” says Writer Sammy Kitula who covered the High School games, “his has been a tremendous improvement.”

With five senior trophies to his name and ten caps for the national team, Musa Mohammed believes the 2013 league title was the highlight of his career. “Winning it after 18 elusive years was a special mark in history. Such a special moment!”

Musa Mohammed trains alongside national teammate Dennis Oliech. He has ten senior caps for Harambee Stars.
Musa Mohammed trains alongside national teammate Dennis Oliech. He has ten senior caps for Harambee Stars.

Asked about his best central defense partnership ever, Musa is expectedly diplomatic about it. “Communication is central to any partnership. A good communicator makes for a great partner.” When he came to Gor Mahia in 2010 he longed to play alongside Nathan Munai but that proved futile as the dreadlocked defender was on his way out. Musa has partnered with Francis Akang’o Jakambare, Eric Masika, David Owino, Israel Emuge, Donald Mosoti and Harun Shakava. Graciously he still says a good partner is a good communicator.

Which striker, not playing for k’Ogalo, makes Musa freak out the most? “Oh Kipre Tche Tche,” says Musa of the Azam player who massacred Gor Mahia in Dar Es Salaam only recently, “he has everything that defines a striker; pace, physique and intelligence. Locally every defender has to be keen when marking Paul Mungai Kiongera.”

So how does one survive in a club full of tumultuously wavy trends like Gor for such a long time? “Any player signing up for Gor Mahia needs to fully understand the club. The fans are very supportive and demanding at the same time. We need to understand all that.” says the devout Muslim who prays before and after every match.

Glamorously, Musa Mohammed has won every trophy available in the local scene; domestic cup in 2011 and 2012, Top8 Cup in 2012 and KPL titles of 2013 and 2014.  And he attributes it to the team he plays for. “When you are in a great club like Gor Mahia you automatically have a championship mentality. Yes we’ve won everything locally available but we don’t stop there. If we win this year’s league title it will be a mark in history to win three consecutive titles. Of more prominence will be next year’s Champions’ League – we’d want to do better.”

Despite not winning the 2015 CECAFA tournament, Musa Mohammed will still be extolled as a rock part of the historic Gor squad that beat Yanga and made it to the Finals. When the history of Gor Mahia is written, Musa Mohammed will claim a chapter in the vibrant panoramic tales of k’Ogalo because surely, finally he deserves it!

@TomBwana

Tags:

GOR MAHIA Harambee Stars Bobby Williamson Tom Bwana Musa Mohammed Zdravko Logarusic Bobby Ogola Jerry Onyango Sammy Kitula Tobias ochola

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