- Gor Mahia head coach Charles Akonnor has opened up on Siraj Mohammed’s decision to leave the club for Tusker FC.
- Akonnor revealed that the Harambee Stars defender’s desire for regular playing time played a major role in his decision to move on.
- Akonnor maintains that every player must work hard to earn their place in the team.
Gor Mahia head coach Charles Akonnor has openly shed light on why defender Siraj Mohammed chose to abandon the club during this demanding season, opting instead to join fellow SportPesa League side Tusker FC.
According to Akonnor, Siraj, who had just returned to Gor Mahia after a half-season loan stint at KCB last term, came back only to table excessive demands, with the coach unable to guarantee him regular game time, despite his involvement in the recently concluded 2026 Kagame Cup in Rwanda.
“When we were in Rwanda, Mike, the assistant captain, came to tell me he needed to talk to me. Unfortunately, he was not able to talk. So we came back to Kenya. I think our first session, he came with Siraj, with the idea that Siraj wanted to go and have playing time,” Akonnor told the club media during one of the training sessions.
“And I was surprised. Because here we are, a guy who seems to be asking to go on loan because the demands probably are too high for him and he wants playing time. We allowed him, and he came back. I think in his first match in the Kagame Cup, he did well.”
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Even before Siraj moved on and completed his transfer to Tusker, the former Ghana men’s national team coach revealed that they had a conversation in which he assured the Harambee Stars left-back of playing opportunities in the season ahead.
“So I even praised him in my press conference. I’ve had discussions with him about the way forward and the future, where I’ve given him the confidence that, you know, the chances are high that he will play. Then we came back to Kenya, and he came to tell me he wanted to leave. I was surprised,” he explained.
However, despite the dialogue between the two, Akonnor was shocked to discover that an official offer from Tusker had already been tabled. He felt that if a player is uncomfortable at the club, there is no justification for forcing him to remain..
“So when he came to me again to ask to go, I was surprised. I didn’t want to give him an answer. And the next thing I knew, there was a letter from Tusker demanding him to go. If a player doesn’t want to stay, doesn’t have the feeling, the momentum or the belief that he’s part of this team and wants to go, why should you stop him?”
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Akonnor reiterated that he harbours no ill will toward any of his players, emphasizing that everyone must put in the hard work to earn their spot at the club.
“I have seen a couple of articles. I don’t have a problem with any player, not just Siraj, but any of the players. Why would I have issues with them? They are all demanded to work. And the demands are high.
“And so we want everybody to perform so that when given a chance, you’ll be able to perform. And that’s how I work. I don’t have a personal issue with anybody, and I won’t do that. So I was surprised to hear that I don’t like him, I have issues with him and stuff, which is not the truth.”
Siraj could have been one of the key players for the record champions this coming season, as they prepare for a demanding campaign.
Gor Mahia will be looking to defend their SportPesa League championship while also representing the nation in the CAF Champions League, where they have been paired with giants Pyramids FC in the first preliminary round.
