Gor Mahia named Kenneth Muguna as their new captain on Friday following the exit of long-serving defender Harun Shakava to Zambia's Nkana FC.
The 2016 Kenyan Premier League Most Valuable Player will be deputised by defender Joash Onyango, in an appointment that hasn't gone down entirely well with the Gor faithful.
During their time at Western Stima, the latter was the captain while Muguna was making his way to the top. Several years later, they are leading one of the biggest clubs in East Africa and will be guiding them in the Caf Champions League assignment, this time with Onyango in the less senior role.
However, many pundits feel the defender would have been a better choice as skipper than Muguna, owing to his greater experience, his track record as a leader, and his maturity.
Goal Kenya.The fact he also commands the team and organizes it well from the back, and well as his commitment may well make him a better candidate, but was Gor Mahia's decision to appoint Muguna misinformed?
Communication
In today's world, a leader has to have excellent communication skills, which are often key characteristics of the player, and ultimately are refined with education. Muguna is the type of player who has no problem as he seamlessly communicates with his teammates and management.
He can easily convince others and help the team move to a certain position.
His experience playing abroad with Albanian side KF Tirana is an added advantage, as he has the knowledge of how to interact with people, to communicate more shrewdly, and has the clout that comes with playing overseas and at a higher level.
Goal Kenya.He doesn't shy away from expressing himself
Last season, the midfielder was overlooked by former head coach Hassan Oktay when it came to Gor's starting XI. He had apparently done everything to try and break into the Cypriot's team, but was still frustrated by regular omissions.
Muguna opened up and aired his grievances, but did so respectfully and it turned his fortunes around; he was involved in almost all of the remaining matches for his side after his 'outburst', and excelled.
He went on to help the team reach the quarter-final of the Caf Confederation Cup, as well as claim a record 18th Kenyan Premier League title.
Goal Kenya.Muguna is mature
Sometimes maturity does not come with age, and we have seen older players who have failed to live like role models both on the pitch or in their personal life.
Muguna commands respect, and he lives well, rarely generating controversies off the field, and is the kind of figurehead that a club like Gor deserve...particularly during these troubled times.
He is focused, does his talking on the pitch and even when the team are down, he never downs tools, and instead inspires those around him. These are the traits which contributed to his call-up to the national team Harambee Stars, and he was arguably unfortunate to miss out on the Africa Cup of Nations.
He is a humble
For other players to effectively approach a captain with their problems, he has to be humble and reachable.
Muguna has not built any enemies at the club and he relates well with most of the players. With that in mind, there will be no back and forth regarding leadership at the club following his appointment.
His former coach at Western Stima, Henry Omino, is confident Muguna will help the club to greater heights.
“The boy was born a leader and will have every opportunity to show it at K’Ogalo,” Omino told Goal. “He has seen his predecessors Musa Mohammed and Harun Shakava win the league title and it is a challenge for him to try and emulate them.
“It starts with the continental assignment, but the experience he has had with the national team and the clubs he has turned out for will help him succeed as a good captain.”
