Polack urges KPL to declare the fate of the league
Coach Steve Polack is urging the Kenya Premier League to get its act in order and declare tge fate of the 2019-2020 Kenya Premier League
Additional reporting from the Nation
Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has told the Kenyan Premier League to show leadership by deciding the fate of the local football league instead of adopting a wait-and-see attitude.
Speaking to Nation Sport on Saturday, Polack urged the Kenyan Premier League to either make the decision to hand his club a 19th league title, or nullify the season.
Polack said it was time the league body decided the fate of the season which has seen all local football activities suspended following a ban on sports activities and social gatherings a day after Kenya recorded her first confirmed case of coronavirus on March 13. KPL suspended the top league with 10 rounds of matches remaining.
The outspoken coach downplayed the chances of the league running to conclusion following the extension of dawn to dusk curfew for another 30 days and cessation of movement in and out of Nairobi.
“I have washed my hands on the matter of the current season because it will be impossible to complete the remaining matches. As KPL meets this week, my proposal to them is to either cancel the season and hand over the title to us or nullify it,” he said yesterday.
CURFEW EXTENDED
President Uhuru Kenyatta Saturday extended the dusk to dawn curfew, but changed the timing from the initial 5am to 7pm to a new time of 4am to 9pm.
But the ban on sports activities remains in place.
“The remaining matches cannot be completed in late July yet the new season should start by late August. My focus is now on next season and not the remaining 10 matches,” he said.
The Briton agreed that either decision would evoke positive and negative reactions from different KPL clubs, more so those at the top and at the bottom of the table of standings.
He however said that as the body tasked with making decisions on such matters, KPL should not fear any backlash.
“They should not fear or engage in supremacy battles. What the president has done is for the safety of Kenyans, including footballers. KPL shouldn’t wait for another 30 days but should come out and give direction,” he added.
GOVERNING COUNCIL
On Tuesday, the league body hinted that matches could resume if the government relaxed some restrictions on movement. However, Nairobi and Mombasa counties are still under lockdown.
More than half of the KPL teams are based in Nairobi. Bandari is the only team from Mombasa.
Polack has often said that the fair way is to hand Gor Mahia the KPL title, but he would embrace any decision from KPL.
The 18-time champions Gor lead the KPL log on 54 points after 23 rounds of matches. This is seven points more than second-placed Kakamega Homeboyz who have been on the pitch 22 times.
Next week, a KPL Governing Council meeting, to be chaired by the chairman Ambrose Rachier, is expected to seal the fate of this season.
The writer of the article is ignorant… We have 7 teams away from Nairobi.. Namely western stima, zoo, chemelil, ulinzi, Bandari, kisumu all stars
Procrastination there by the Kpl. Ultimately, they will be forced to eat humble pie and declare K’ogalo Champions.
Tafakari. When his enigma was in power, he contributed for all abandu functions. At times very heavily. So it’s also to Kidero. Akash wuod Mudavadi only thinks of Ingwe now….. Where did we go wrong?
Boardroom wars is detrimental to football life in our country.
Boardroom wars at KPL & FKF are not an excuse for failure to pay GMFC players for 5 months yet branches and supporters’ funds even the office are raising funds for non priority matters e.g bus and youth team.
GMFC should target the prize money in the CAF group stages and beyond. This plus government support in airtickets can make soccer viable for GMFC.
However with the current vested interests and discord between office, branches and supporters’ funds may soon see GMFC struggle in the local scene.
That Ingwe chairman keeps demanding that the league be annulled instead of Gor Mahia being declared the winner per FIFA rules. And where is Rachier on this issue? How come he is not demanding that KPL follow FIFA rules?
At this rate Gor Mahia is going to be thoroughly shamed in CAL competitions next season be it CL or CC.
Shikanda, our former player, wants to take cheap comfort in the misfortunes and tribulations lying in wait for us. That’s why he’s advocating the GMFC participates, not compete, in CAF but does not want them declared 2020 champs or even the league to be completed since GMFC might win it.
The final nail in GMFC’s coffin was when the once “brilliant”minds in GorMahia.net surrendered GMAF to Rachier/office, while pretending to be independent. They abandoned the progressive ideas articulated here and instead adopted and clothed the failed Rachier ideas in the new GMAF digital attire. Talk about putting new wine into old wineskins, the outcome is known.
The saddest thing is that branches, office and supporters’ funds can comprehensively address players and TB welfare if they work transparently together.
Any perhaps they will field the youth team and bus in our CAF matches.
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Goodbye captain. You were a good servant but you have got a Better deal. We wish you well
Simba calling again to take our Capt away. We wish him well. Fare there well if you have a better deal.