Gor Mahia assistant coach Michael Nam has dispelled talks of disunity within the playing ranks, offering that all is well and the team is focused on Sunday’s assignment in South Sudan.

K’Ogalo are in Juba, South Sudan, and will face hosts El Merreikh Bentiu in the CAF Champions League preliminary round match at Juba Stadium on Sunday.

The reigning FKF Premier League champions traveled to South Sudan on Thursday ahead of the fixture; however, some notable players did not make the trip, raising a number of questions.

Long-serving midfielder Ernest Wendo, as well as goalkeeper Gad Mathews, were not included in the traveling squad, which sparked rumors of favoritism. Talking to Passion Sports from Juba, Nam assured that the decision to drop the duo was purely on a technical basis.

“Having looked at the available options in the midfield, the head coach (Leo Neiva) deemed it fit not to include Wendo (Ernest) in the traveling squad. The same goes for Gad Mathews, who has not played actively for a while. The truth is, during that time, other goalkeepers trained hard and got ahead of him, and you just can’t drop one for another,” Nam said.

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A source within the playing unit, however, suggested that senior players feel that they are being phased out of the club unceremoniously.

“Instead of the management telling us that we’re no longer needed, all we see is cold treatment. Things are happening that we can’t explain. Players, some who have injuries, are included in the team while those who are training hard and are fit are being sidelined.”

Nam further explained that the absence of Ronney Onyango was not their decision. “We can’t travel with a player without a passport.”

According to the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), Rooney, alongside three other players, falsified the federation’s documents to apply for visas at the Italian embassy.

“Four players, namely Ben Stanley, Ronney Onyango, Musa Masika, and Shariff Majabe, used a forged federation letterhead and the FKF CEO’s signature to apply for visas at the Italian Embassy. As a result, the players’ passports have been retained at the Embassy,” a statement from the FKF reads.

However, it is now emerging that Ronney Onyango, Musa Masika and Ben Stanley got their passports back while Shariff Majabe will pick his on Monday from the embassy.