We were helpless, cries Rachier

We were helpless, cries Rachier

Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier says the team was helpless and could no nothing to avoid the travel predicament which they have faced, thrusting them under the watch of a shocked country.

Gor’s journey to Morocco to honour tonight’s CAF Confederations Cup quarter finals against hosts RS Berkane has been riddled with controversy with the trip botching twice in Nairobi before leaving on Saturday, and in batches!

Speaking exclusively to Citizen Digital at the team’s base at the Melisa Saidia Beach Hotel in Morocco, Rachier said there was nothing much he could do.

“The cost of tickets to this place is quoted at 2,042 USD per person and there is no direct flight at all from Nairobi to Casablanca or Berkane where we are. From Casablanca is 608 kilometres and from Ousdja Airport to this hotel is about 55 minutes drive.

He went on: “Finances is a problem. So someone may want to blame Rachier but we should question where that kind of money comes from.”

According to Rachier, the team had assurance from the government that they’ll get their bookings on time and upon getting the confirmation through the government ticketing agency they went to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport later on Thursday only for the trip to run into head winds.

“After we had played RS Berkane we had already approached the government because we could not afford the cost of flying 18 players and officials. I personally visited the Cabinet Secretary Madam Amina Mohamed who agreed to provide us with tickets . As we waited we were informed that we should travel on Thursday through Air Qatar via Doha but it was not possible as we asked to travel back,”lamented Rachier.

The first batch of Gor Mahia squad, mainly fringe players, arrived here this morning at 3am and immediately headed into their hotel rooms to catch some sleep with a majority of the first team squad travelling by road from Casablanaca International Airport to Berkane, a distance of about 600 kilometres.

Rachier during an interview with Citizen Digital at the Melisa Saidia Beach Hotel in Morocco.PHOTO/Isaac Swila/Citizen

Those who have arrived include goalkeeper Shaban Odhoji, Joachim Oluoch, Charles Momanyi, Bernard Ondiek, George ‘ Blackberry’ Odhiambo , Samuel Onyango, Francis Mustafa and Wellingtone Ochieng.

“Eleven Players, the head coach, team manager and team doctor had boarded Kenya Airways flight to Casablanca via Brazzaville on Friday night but it failed to take off due to technical problems. We then booked them on Qatar Air and they left on Saturday morning via Doha to arrive Sunday morning,” explained Rachier.

The match kicks off at 8pm local time (10pm in Kenya).

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GOR MAHIA CAF Confederation Cup RS Berkane Casablanca chairman Ambrose Rachier helpless

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