He took over premier league Gor Mahia from Bobby Williamson, who went on to coach the Kenya National Football team before being fired recently.
Frank Nuttal, the humble Scott with few words who is a FIFA certified trainer and fitness instructor knew too well that the job would never be that easy. After his predecessor had broken the 18 year-long trophy drought for Gor Mahia, the 47-year-old took over in September 2014 and had one mission: to win and win more trophies for the giants.
Indeed, he drove Gor to the most impeccable seasons ahead that would go down in history books of the nation’s football league – setting records only seen during the times of Peter Otieno Bassanga in the 1980s. A run of two trophy wins, the 14th and 15th was so much unprecedented let alone running a domestic campaign for a whole 2015 season without a taste of defeat, a replicate of such drama that only happened three decades ago.
While he shone at home and made other teams look like mere clubs, Frank Nuttal struggled amid his charisma to shine across the boarders, occasionally losing important matches like he did at the hands of Tanzania’s Azam FC during the CECAFA Kagame Cup final in Dar es Salaam in August 2015.
See also >> Defeat by AFC a bitter pill for Gor Mahia to swallow
In his hands, Gor Mahia were also bundled out of the less lucrative CAF Champions league twice in a row, most recently at the hands of CNaPS of Madagascar. Unlike his predecessors, Zdravko Logarusic, for instance, Nuttal was often quiet, did more touchline by hands and made attractive signings to the ‘green army’.
He had allegedly been sacked in one of the most dramatic ways by Gor Mahia Management in early February but was reinstated 24 hours later after fans piled pressure and swore not to attend any matches without the Scot.
This was the beginning of madness capped by poor run of form, losing and drawing matches and trailing the league table at tenth. Disagreements between him and the management as well as players, Boniface Oluoch included, began going public with finger-pointing taking centre-stage.
But one thing was for sure; that Gor Mahia would not do so well again in comparison to the previous two seasons under Nuttal and the Scot was secretly planning to sack himself. His alleged detention at Nairobi’s Serena Hotel on February 16th owing to accrued debts worsened the situation and the often-simple former Rangers coach began showing signs of disinterest.
Going into the much hyped ‘Mashemeji Derby’ winless in all competitions sounded an alarm with many pundits across the country tipping an AFC Leopards win. The Derby, being one of the most watched matches in Kenyan soccer industry, is often a must-win for either team, form not withstanding.
On this occasion, Sunday 7th, it went all wrong for the ‘Giniwasekano’ (We have retained it) pioneer who fell to a new low losing to the Leopards 1-0,thanks to substitute Lamine Dialo’s solitary goal.
AFC Leopards, the all time record winners in Mashemeji Derbies scooped their 28th win against Gor Mahia’s 23. This was truly the last nail in the coffin for the charming Scot who had secretly been renewing his friendship with Zamalek Coach, Alex McLeish; with whom they worked at Rangers in 2004 and Nuttal flew to Egypt on Monday, terminating his contract without notice.
A month ago, Nuttal threatened to sue Gor Mahia for breach of contract before he was shockingly reinstated. Things have now turned against him as the club now seeks to pay him by the same, reportedly seeking legal action against the Scot who left K’ogalo hanging on the loose with no shred of notice and a deem future.
The records he set at Gor Mahia, the glory days he shared with the passionate fans, admirable rapport with players, his tactical prowess that surpassed all of the others in his two year-stay at the City Stadium are remarkable.
It will take sweat, energy and excessive skills to dilute his legacy for many years to come.
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