Images of former Gor Mahia striker Meddie Kagere turning out for AFC Leopards seem unthinkable at this moment, but the Rwandan forward says it was this close to happening.
In a tell it all interview with the Sunday Nation, the 32-year-old said he was eventually accorded a second stint at K’Ogalo only because the club officials could not come to terms with him joining Leopards.
Not one to mince his words or shy away from making big decisions, Kagere also revealed that he considered joining Tusker, but was put off when the brewers preference to booking him a bus ticket for the 1200km trip, other than play a few thousand more for an hour long air ticket.
“Gor heard I was planning to join AFC Leopards. In fact, negotiations were at an advanced stage. Tusker too made contact but the problem with them is that they wanted me to come to Nairobi by bus from Kigali. Their reasoning was that they could reserve me an air ticket only for me to skip and join Gor Mahia upon jetting in, so I declined,” Kagere narrated.
“By then, Gor hadn’t reached out to me. Through Musa (Mohammed), they found my contacts and swiftly booked for me a air ticket, insisting I couldn’t join their rivals (AFC Leopards).”
Kagere, who has since joined Simba from Gor Mahia, also said Briton Frank Nuttal, who was his former coach at K’Ogalo, worked behind the scenes to lure him to Zamalek.
“After my first stint at Gor Mahia, Zamalek of Egypt came knocking but a Visa hitch killed the deal. Sometimes things don’t work out not because you are unlucky but because God hasn’t planned for it. So since the window had closed, I was forced to sit out for six months without a club,” Kagere Kagere.
Kagere, who also enjoyed stints in Tunisia and Europe earlier on in his career, early this month dumped Gor Mahia for Tanzanian giants Simba who lured him with a Sh5 million signing bonus and Sh500,000 salary.
But the striker’s departure has not affected Gor Mahia, as they are on the verge of qualifying to the knockouts of the CAF Confederations Cup after their hard fought 3-2 win over Yanga in Tanzania on Sunday evening.
The team needs only one point from their remaining two matches against Rayon Sports of Rwanda and USM Algers of Algeria. But they can qualify if Rayon fail to win their next match against a wounded Yanga.
K’Ogalo have already wrapped the Sportpesa Super Cup this season and are on course to retain the KPL title. The team will travel to England to face EPL side Everton at the Goodison Park in Liverpool. The trip is sponsored by giant betting firm Sportpesa.
After the England trip, Gor will travel to Algeria for a group ‘D’ decider clash against leaders USM Algers.
USM Alger needed a late goal by Mohamed Amia to avoid a shock home defeat to Rwandan side Rayon Sports in a Caf Confederation Cup match on Sunday.
Fighting for the club until the last breath is the theme of our warriors…
Thank you THE BEAST Ismaila Diarra for the away goal against @USMAofficiel
VIVA @rayon_sports
VIVA #Gikundiro @CAF_Online @FERWAFA @AlgeriaFootNews pic.twitter.com/3LifRU3AU3— Official Rayon Sports (@rayon_sports) July 29, 2018
The East African side took a lead courtesy of Ismailla Diarra in the 28th minute, and all seemed well until the 86th minute when the home team replied.
The results, mean that Gor are top on top of the log with eight points, same as the Algerian outfit but with a superior goal difference.