New Gor coach McKinstry to take charge of pre-season friendly

New Gor Mahia coach Jonathan McKinstry could be on the touchline when the club takes on hosts Mombasa Combined in a pre-season friendly at the newly built Ronald Ngala sports grounds at the Coast on Sunday.

McKinstry, 37, is yet to be officially unveiled by K'Ogalo, but a travel manifest of the record Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) champions side ahead of the Mombasa trip obtained by Nation Sport has the Irish coach as part of a 34-man travelling contingent.

Club officials who spoke to Nation Sport off the record confirmed the experienced coach, who's previously managed the Uganda and Rwanda national teams, is set to arrive in Nairobi Friday night.

Also making the trip to Mombasa is club chairman Ambrose Rachier, veteran players George Odhiambo, Ernest Wendo, Philemon Otieno and Austin Odhiambo, alongside assistant coach Micheal Nam and team manager Jolawi Obondo.

This will be Gor Mahia's first game of pre-season, a week after Nam led the team in pre-season training in Nairobi.

Coached by former Harambee Stars coach Mohammed Kheri and ex-international Chrispin Olando, Mombasa Combined comprises youthful players drawn from the Coastal city.

Meanwhile, this game will be played as part of celebrations to officially open the Ronald Ngala sports grounds.

The venue has been built from a Sh100 million kitty mostly drawn from the Mvita Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and overseen by outgoing lawmaker Abdulswamad Nassir.

"We put up this venue because of the desire by the youth in this region to play football professionally," the politician, who is contesting for the Mombasa gubernatorial seat in the August 9 polls, told Nation Sport.

"Pending approvals, this ground will host Premier League and National Super League matches. But this is the first of many. We will renovate stadiums in Mombasa, and build others, as part of a larger plan to develop sports," added Twaha Mbarak, a seasoned football administrator and coordinator of this match.

The match between Gor and Mombasa Combined will be preceeded by an inter-constituency tournament involving grassroots teams.

The winning team will pocket Sh500,000 with the runners up taking home Sh150,000. All participating teams will be awarded Sh100,000.

The 2022/2023 FKF-PL season is set to commence on August 27.