Steve Polack arrives
British coach Steve Polack who is widely expected to become the new head coach of Gor Mahia FC arrived in the country on Wednesday at 2:42 PM.
He was most recently a coach in Ghana. In 2018, he was coach at Asante Kotoko, the storied Ghanaian side. He took over after former Gor Mahia coach Zdravko Logarusic departed. Kotoko were fourth in the league when the league was abandoned.
In 2017 he was coach at Berekum Chelsea when they finished 8th in the league. In 2011 again he was coach at Berekum Chelsea when they won the Ghanaian league. In 2009 he was coach at King Faisal when they finished 4th in the Ghanaian league.
Polack also holds Finland citizenship and coached there for many years. In 2007 he coached second tier side PK Keski Uusimmaa. In 2006 he was coach at FC Raahe when they finished fourth in the Finnish top tier (Vekkausliga). In 2005 he coached AC Oulu when they finished tenth in the Finnish top tier. Prior to that he coached a number of teams in the Ginnish lower tiers. He has also had numerous stints as an assistant coach in Finland.
Therefore his coaching experience is vast and he is used to the vagaries of coaching an African team such as the lack of equipment, insufficient training facilities, player go slows and strikes as well as incompetence and interference from officials.
Prior to coaching, Polack played most of his career in Finland. He played for RoPS of Rovaniemi in the Finnish top tier between 1984 and 1994.
He then played for Inter Turku also in the Finnish top tier for 3 years before becoming their head coach.
Additional reporting from the Nation
Should he, as widely expected, be named Gor Mahia coach on Thursday, Steve Polack’s immediate role is to mastermind a win for the Kenyan champions against their Burundian counterparts Aigle Noir Makamba FC in the preliminaries of the 2019/2020 Caf Champions League.
The Englishman arrived in Nairobi at 2:42pm Wednesday to replace Hassan Oktay, who delivered his resignation letter to K’Ogalo chairman Ambrose Rachier on Tuesday evening, citing ‘personal’ problems in his native Europe.
Polack will sign a two-year contract on Thursday before departing with the team to Bujumbura Friday morning in time for Sunday’s Champions League first leg clash.
This game is set for the 10,000 seater Intwari stadium, formerly known as the Prince Louis Rwagasore stadium, in the country’s capital.
Gor assistant coach Patrick Odhiambo has been preparing the first team in Oktay’s absence, but Nation Sport understands club chairman Rachier had to move in fast and bring in Polack as the former Sony Sugar coach doesn’t have the requisite qualifications to take charge of a continental title.
“It is important to have someone who has African football management experience,” Gor Chief Executive Lordvick Aduda explained.
Welcome pollack…i see have good african and CAF experience. in Gor you better also have ‘personal ‘ problems you can count on should things not work . …
Congrats EC. Wether he is good or bad ni ya huko mbele. The good thing is that Gor management has worked as a well oiled machine. There was no kusitasita. A coach has come pronto, Gor has discarded and recruited in record time. It’s like watching Jack Bauer reload his gun.
Sasa twende kazi. Congrats.
@Dinga, You have nailed it on the head with catchy phrase ” It’s like watching Jack Bauer reload his gun” This is why K’Ogalo stands ahead of all the teams and their managements.
This is how big teams operate they always have a back plan now let the season begin … Am pleased with how we have conducted the business this transfer period and the preparation too . We must appreciate i think the squad is better just waiting to roar away. My expectations 19/20 season 3 trophies…
Bloggers GM is strong because of many things from Fantastic players…Amazing unparalleled fanbase…Hardworking Chairman…A De Facto footballing Supremo heading the Technical Committee and most Importantly Almighty God always granting us favour to achieve glory. Accord New Coach Steven Pollack all the necessary support he is here to take us to Higher Heights. Thank you Hassan Oktay for your good work may blessings follow you. Forward onto CAF we match
Agreed. We are all well motivated. May God give us victories these season.
If there is one thing that has happened with utmost efficacy, it is this one. Thanks and congratulations to EC. That CV isn’t bad, now let kichapo begin. My only worry is the team not having played any gelling match leading to the match against the Burundians or did they have any?
Don’t worry. They have been training together for over two weeks and that will just do. Besides there is this thing called “new coach effect” which is one big factor that will give us an away win. I am seeing us win big in Bujumbura.
JTGJ Camp toyoyo tomorrow morning 8.30am friendly with NSL side Police FC to help new Coach get acquainted with and gauge his players …Endeavor to attend
The matches the team played at the recent CECAFA club championship were good preparation. Most players were at CECAFA matches except Gnamian and Afryie. No reason to worry. All is well.
The ghanian played but the guy from ivory coast seemed to be carrying an injury. His left or was it right thigh was heavily strapped.
Bonnie also did not play. There was no sight of Philo and oliech but the technical bench was all there including the coach who silently watched the proceedings as Patrick called the shots
Truth be told..we might win the league but CAF hell no we are going no where…if we beat the team from Burundi…we play MC Algiers…everyone knows the rest of the story…ama niongeze volume…kichapo with this mediocre squad..we can’t even dream of standing a chance…
Sir, I want us to compare notes after the USMA match. I assure you we are rolling over the Algerians this time round. Kindly promise to hang around. Don’t go underground…..after all, humble pie is meant to be eaten by people.
And according to the fixture list, we are penned to start away. I hope CAF will not change this fixture arrangement. As for those calling the team mediocre, shame on them. We are yet to watch them play and to imagine one branding them mediocre is utter myopic.
Jonny it seems you are a newbie in this forum we have a good team this time a team composed of young talented and experienced players forget about the last season when the team depended on individual talent this team will go far.
please let’s be realistic…trust me I love gor so much but this year we shall struggle even against the Burundi side…
Don’t be so sure boss. Leave some room for making about turn.
Amor, Piny Mor, Polo bende Mor. For God and my beloved club – Kogallo
@BB…tomorrow I will be at camp Toyoyo to see the boys and make my assessment. Plus check out the new coach. I hope it all goes well.
Oswozo am waiting for your take. Kindly update ur opinion after the match and the new signings performance..
@Oswozo kindly don’t forget to give us your observation at camp toyoyo
@Oswozo Moziek it is now 9 a m. We hope for the best. If possible, may you give some live updates. Otherwise thank you once again for your commitment to K’Ogalo.
Gor VS Police
Lineup-:Gor
1.david mapigano
2.wellington ochieng
3.shafik batambuze
4.charles momanyi
5.joash onyango
6.tobias otieno
7.samuel onyango
8 Lawrence juma
9.nicholas kipkirui
10.kenneth muguna
11.boniface omondi
Scores:-
Gor 1(Boniface omondi)
Police 1
22nd minute
Match analysis? Not results. Did you observe any improvement, any underlying fire?
@jamriambo.. Match analysis comes after the game.
2nd half underway
Old faces in the line up
Frederick odhiambo
Joachim oluoch
Geoffrey ochieng
Ernest wendo
Bernard ondiek
New faces that I know
Kennedy otieno
Maurice ojwang
Dickson ambundo
Fran afriyie
Blunder by joachim
Gor 1
Police 2
Two weeks of training togather, Gor-1 police-2 is this what we call team ochiek.
3-2 to Gor. Own goal
2-2 afriyie header
@Oswozo Moziek. Thanks for update. Waiting for the match analysis. Little assignment. Please discuss PERSONALLY with @Jasego his view of the team (try and identify this Guy in the crowd unless he has not landed back since the last time he hinted he was jetting out to the Coaches Market). Try and find out if he is real of FAKE
@ojomondi u ar wise enough to know that everyone here is incognito.most pple here just have healthy conversation and what they sometimepost hav not reached some of us.so pls dont feel jilted when you see some enquiring from a particuler source and not others.they hav proved to provide reliable info concerning gor for along time.even when they dont get it right they point it out when called upon.you ar a good critique but can u point out @oswozo in a crowd!@jasego can be a tall order.
@Oswozo Moziek and @Jasego, thank you guys for the update. This is just a friendly match and no wonder the usual doubters have started doubting. What do you guys want?
Game over Gor 3.Police 2
First half analysis
Gor played with the handbrake on. Police outplayed them in all departments and were the hungrier of the two with miheso carrying the show for police.
Only three players endeared themselves to the new coach
Tobias otieno. Good on and off the ball. A joy to watch
David mapigano. Good ball handling and command of his D
Kenneth muguna. Positional sense and good passing.
I was extremely disappointed by batambuze. Very poor perhaps still getting over his injury
2nd half analysis
We saw a better Gor… Pressing and searching for goals
Players who impressed were
Dickson ambundo. Good also on the ball.. Can dribble and shoot
Kennedy agogo.. Full of hard running and hassling
Maurice ojwang.. Steady and strong at the back
Oalo.. Wasteful but one for the future.
Didn’t see much in the rest to rate them.
Good job wuod baba. Lots of thanks. My take is that this team is good and will even be better away on Sunday as they continue to gel with the new coach. Remember they were playing with half of their mind on Sunday’s game, hence with lots of caution to avoid injury.
The team in general still has some work to do. The game today as much as it was a friendly was not easy on the eye.
Lots of stray passes,.. Tame shots on goal.. No anticipation.
The new coach has some work to do. Let’s hope when the creme de la creme is identified they will go guns blazing.
@Oswozo thanks for your observation, but what about the lvory coast guy and Ghanian performance?
Gor mahia signings make me sick…i wish we had kept Berry and resigned mieno…after watching gor mahia and the signings we will even struggle to win the league…which top club sign wins the league then signs 17players…their witches in this clubs calling themselves officials and they must all go together with Rachier..
Latest, the two new signings are not available for CAF. A big blow to Gor
What did they take into consideration before signing this Ninja’s..
Please sir may you tone down the sour grapes. There is a time for all that and that time is long gone. The transfer period is over.
It is unfortunate the kind of players Gor Mahia signed did not meet your very high threshold. They are now here with us. The ink in their signature has dried. It is too late now for any changes and that bitter attitude will only ruin your health and interfere with your input that will be much welcome when the transfer window opens in January.
Ever heard of ‘Jonny come lately’ sir? Let us just join ranks now and support the boys so that they can give value for the money they are earning.
Thank you all who have been working with the YOUTH team. Results are clear. Thank you all in leadership who have put faith in the youth. I fully embrace the youth team. any win, any draw any loss will be part of the initiation. Please provide positive criticism. I hope the Coach will understand where we are coming from and give these boys a chance to realize their dreams. For the senior players please encourage and even pave way for the young-stars
Here is the team from another site:
Caleb Omondi, Alphonce Ombija, Lloyd Khavuchi, Godfrey Ombijo, Richdonald Bolo, Samuel Osok, (promoted from the club’s youth team), Abdalla Shira and Tobias Otieno (from Sony Sugar), Elvis Ronack (Nzoia Sugar), Maurice Ojwang (Western Stima), Robert Mapigano (Singida United, Tanzania), Dickson Ambundo (Alliance, Tanzania), Curtis Wekesa, Dennis Oalo (Nairobi Stima), Francis Afiriye (Ivory Coast) and Gieslin Gikpe (Ghana)
There was no mention of the Ivorian Yikpe, Mr Oswozo Moziek did that guy play and if so, how is he? And what is Dan posting above? Which new signings are not available for CAf and why?
The two West Africans, Francis and Gislein Yikpe Gormahian.
Am I getting confused by some of the comments here?pls guys can we post facts.let us avoid the itch to be the first to report. Ja entebe where at u?
Burundi teams are tough. We underestimate them at our own peril. If we take things for granted the way we are doing we will carry a sackful of goals and fa2cw early elimination. Am glad Jasego is doing less talking now because I know he is busy doing more on the ground.
The coach says he was only impressed by one Joash Onyango, the rest of the players are just okay but one positive comment is that a majority of them are young and should be able to learn.