- Enock Wanyama states that being benched at Kariobangi Sharks did not sit well with him, as he felt he had something to offer.
- Wanyama left Sharks, and Gor Mahia offered him a deal before he left for Taiwan. He later returned and joined Gor Mahia for a second stint.
- He was one of the four players who parted ways with Gor Mahia during the January mid-transfer window.
Former Gor Mahia winger Enock Wanyama has revealed how being denied playing time at Kariobangi Sharks affected him mentally to the point he decided to leave the club.
Wanyama was one of the four players who parted ways with Gor Mahia this season during the mid-transfer window with the other being Sydney Ochieng, Dolph Owino, Kevin Juma and Musa Masika.
Before joining K’Ogalo, Wanyama had previously played for the club after his deal with Kariobangi Sharks collapsed in 2022. His time at Sharks was marred by his lack of playing minutes, despite his desire to play regularly.
“At Kariobangi, unfortunately, I didn’t get the game time I hoped for. I stayed there for a while but all I wanted was to be given minutes on the pitch.
At that point, the head coach William Muluya spoke to me and asked me what I wanted. I told him that I wanted to play more at Sharks,” Wanyama shared on Zoza Podcast.
He further expressed that being benched drained him emotionally, particularly because many of the players at the club had also represented the national U20 team yet he struggled to secure regular playing time.
“Most of the players at Sharks were part of the national U20 team so I couldn’t understand why when we played internationally, I received minutes but at the club level I wasn’t given a chance.
It was mentally taxing for me. Yes, I was young and knew I needed to be patient, but I also felt I had a lot to offer to the team,” he added.
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Enock Wanyama turning point to leave Kariobangi Sharks
The 23-year-old explained that the growing frustration with his situation eventually led to a breakdown in his relationship with the club, forcing him to leave.
“The turning point came, and as you know, you can’t argue with the head coach. He’s the final authority when it comes to decisions about who plays. I had no strength to argue with him, so I struggled at Sharks, even in training sessions.
But nothing changed. All I was told was, ‘You’re coming up well’, but nothing changed, so they had to release me,” he explained.
After his time at Kariobangi Sharks came to an end, Wanyama joined Gor Mahia before eventually making a move to Taiwan to join Leopard Cat FC.
“Before I went to Taiwan, Gor Mahia was already on my mind. After Sharks released me, I spent some time without a club and went for trials at KCB but wasn’t selected. That’s how I ended up joining Gor Mahia for the first time.
By the time I joined, the signing deadline was approaching and Gor Mahia was under a player signing ban. But the coach, Jonathan McKinstry, reached out to me and expressed interest in working with me. I joined Gor Mahia and together we won the title,” he recounted.
After leaving Gor Mahia, Wanyama moved to Taiwan, returned to Gor Mahia for a second stint, and is now a free agent following his departure from the Kenyan record champions.