Nairobi News

SportsWhat's Hot

REVEALED: Why Aucho missed lucrative move to Aberdeen


Failure to execute a sweeping counter attacking move during a training session is what cost former Gor Mahia midfielder Khalid Aucho a lucrative transfer to Scottish Premier League side Aberdeen.

The Ugandan midfielder, who has since moved to South African club Baroka FC, had suggested to sections of the British press that it was Gor Mahia who scuttled the move at the end of the two-week trial, by asking for a “bumper transfer fee”.

Uganda’s Daily Monitor has however reported that the player the failed to impress the Scottish club’s boss Derek Mclness.

“According to the midfielder, the drill that destroyed the bridge from Kenya to Europe came when coach Derek Mclnnes asked his hopefuls  (read trialists) to run a counter attack. All the hopefuls had to pick the ball from inside their half, run several metres then pass to an open man for a goal scoring opportunity or hit the target. Aucho failed,” the paper reports.

CUP OF NATIONS

Perhaps on a diplomatic note, Mclnness had at the time also praised the player despite not offering him the move while hinting he wasn’t good enough.

“From what we have seen he is certainly a capable player, but not the sort that would compliment what we have,” the coach had said of Aucho.

Nevertheless the former Tusker FC player’s star continues to shine. He is considered one of the integral players in Uganda’s national team and is expected to feature prominently when the Cranes make their long-awaited return to the Africa Cup of Nations final next year in Gabon.