Gor Mahia’s mid-season acquisition, Musa Masika, has made a significant impact with his adaptability and intelligence on the field, enhancing the team’s overall performance. Jonathan McKinstry, the head coach of Gor Mahia, has openly praised the substantial impact Musa Masika has made since joining the team.
During the mid-season transfer window, the Kenyan top-tier club signed the attacking midfielder from KCB FC. Musa, who is the younger brother of Kenyan international Ayub Timbe, has rapidly become a pivotal player in McKinstry’s tactical plan, particularly highlighted by his outstanding performance in the Mashemeji Derby against AFC Leopards.
“Musa is a player we’ve been interested in for a while, extremely talented,” McKinstry commended. He noted Masika’s potential, which has started to emerge at Gor Mahia, especially given his previous underutilization.
“Musa Masika, obviously, hasn’t played much for KCB this season, but we remembered his performances from last season. Even he acknowledged he wasn’t match fit when he joined us, and he knew he needed time. Now, he’s approaching the ability to play full 90 minutes, but his football intelligence is very high,” McKinstry explained. This intelligence was notably displayed when Masika and his childhood friend Rooney Onyango demonstrated tactical flexibility by swapping roles during games, which has benefited the team.
“You’ve seen in the build-up phase at times we had Musa Masika at right back and Rooney Onyango in the number eight position,” the coach added. McKinstry also emphasized the connection between Masika and another teammate, Austin Odhiambo, as crucial for the team’s dynamics.
“The link between him and Austin is really effective because, as you probably noticed today, Austin plays almost everything one touch since we knew AFC would be aggressive and man-mark him,” he remarked.
Having previously played for Wazito FC and had a stint overseas with Buriram United’s youth team in Thailand, Masika brings a wealth of experience to Gor Mahia. His journey as a seasoned player with international exposure is now aimed at propelling Gor Mahia toward defending their title and aiming for a return to the CAF Champions League—a goal underscored by their previous disqualification due to contractual disputes.
