- Musa Masika was among the players who left Gor Mahia during the mid-transfer window in January.
- Masika says the primary reason for leaving Gor Mahia was the lack of playing time at the club.
- He joined Gor Mahia in 2023, signed by then-head coach Jonathan McKinstry.
Mathare United attacker Musa Masika has revealed that the primary reason he joined the club from Gor Mahia was to gain playing time and showcase his abilities in his career.
Masika was among the players who parted ways with K’Ogalo during the mid-transfer window and signed a short-term deal with Mathare until the end of the season.
Despite joining Mathare, Masika has yet to complete a full match, having featured for 90 minutes across the two matches he has played so far for his new club.
In the recent match against Mara Sugar on Friday at Dandora Stadium, Masika played a crucial role, helping Mathare come from behind to defeat Mara 2-1, contributing an assist to the second goal, which proved to be the winner.
Reacting to his assist in the winning goal, Masika did not hesitate to express his gratitude to the head coach for providing him with the opportunity, noting how much he had missed playing football.
“First of all, I want to thank the coach for this opportunity. It has been a long time since I’ve had the chance to play football, and I believe that, in due time, I’ll be getting more minutes at Mathare,” Masika told SportPesa blog after the match.
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Masika on why he left Gor Mahia
He further reflected on the transition from the Kenyan record champions Gor Mahia to Mathare, stating that, despite working under different head coaches, it had been a smooth change.
Masika also explained the reason behind his departure from Gor Mahia this season
“Moving from Gor Mahia to Mathare has been a good transition for me, but tactically, it has been challenging because the coaching styles are different, and the environment is also distinct.
The coach who signed me at Gor was dismissed, and when the new one arrived, we could not find common ground in terms of tactics. That’s why I wasn’t getting game time at Gor Mahia, so I decided to leave,” he explained.
The former Wazito FC player joined Gor in 2023, signed by then-head coach Jonathan McKinstry. However, after McKinstry’s departure, Masika struggled to establish himself under the subsequent head coach, Leonardo Neiva. With Sinisa Mihic also coming on board, Masika made the decision to move on.
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Why Masika Choose Mathare
Masika shared that his desire for more playing time led to his departure from Gor, as under the three different head coaches, Leonardo Neiva, Zedekiah Otieno, and Sinisa Mihic he was unable to get the minutes needed to prove himself.
The remaining matches when I joined Mathare were few, and I wasn’t focused on bigger clubs that had shown interest in me. I was looking for a place where I could get playing time, and at Mathare, I’m working hard for it. That’s the most important thing getting minutes. Personally, at the club, I’m working hard to prove myself and help the team remain in the top tier. Everything will be fine- he concluded.
