Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack resigns
Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack gestures during their friendly match against Ksports at Parklands Sports Club in Nairobi on March 11, 2020.
What you need to know:
- Polack was in charge of the team in the virus-halted season last term.
- He replaced Turkish-Cypriot Hassan Oktay who left the club last year.
- Assitant coach Odhiambo has been training the team.
Gor Mahia are looking for a new coach after Briton Steven Polack resigned from his position at the club.
Polack was in charge of the team in the virus-halted season after taking over from Turkish-Cypriot Hassan Oktay.
Gor Mahia are expected to name a new coach on Saturday.
Club Secretary General Sam Ocholla though didn’t divulge the name of the tactician but said he would be unveiled at the club offices by midday.
“We are going to name a new coach to take over after the exit of Polack. I can’t reveal the name now but he is a foreign coach who can help steer the club to great success in the continental and domestic scene. We have reached an agreement with him,” Ochola told Nation Sport.
The Briton coach and the club parted way on mutual consent after being at the helm of the club for one year.
Polack left the country on September 12 for holiday with his family back in Finland and promised to be back to continue with its duties.
He had earlier urged the club to pay the players all their salary arrears in anticipation for the new season.
“We are in receipt of your resignation letter dated October 8, 2020 as Gor Mahia coach. Much as this is happening, we also respect the reasons that you have pointed out to occasion your action,” the club staid in a statement.
“As a club we will miss you among us greatly, especially your impeccable coaching abilities social cohesion and excitement you brought to the Gor Mahia fraternity.”
The 58-year-old thanked the club, players and technical bench.
“The club and I have come to mutual agreement to terminate my contract due to economic downturn and coronavirus pandemic which is not only affecting Gor Mahia. I would like to say thank you to the club for giving me opportunity to coach Gor Mahia,” said Polack.
Polack joined Gor Mahia in September 2019 as a replacement for Oktay who left to sort out family issues only to resign from his home land.
He won the Sports Journalist Association of Kenya (SJAK) Coach of the Month Award for September, October and February.
The trend of coaches leaving Gor Mahia while on holiday is not new. Former coaches Dylan Kerr, Oktay, José Marcelo Ferreira - fondly known as Ze Maria - all left for their holidays and never came back.
