Steven Polack has dropped a strong hint that the financial issues bedeviling record Kenyan Premier League champions Gor Mahia could be a thing of the past.
Speaking after receiving his second SJAK-Fidelity Insurance Coach of the Month award for the month of November, the Briton praised his players for their performance that period that saw them win three of their five fixtures with just one defeat despite the biting financial challenges facing the club.
“We have started the year well and hopefully we will be back here end of January,” said Polack.
The was owed close to four months salary arrears last December but is yet to publicly complain since he returned from a week’s holiday in the United Kingdom.
Gor Mahia have not had a shirt sponsor since SportsPesa, a gaming firm that was also sponsoring rivals AFC Leopards besides being the league’s title sponsor, pulled out of the Kenyan market mid-last year.
As a result, the team failed to train for 11 days last December as a majority of the players ‘could not afford bus fare’ to the training venue.
“It means we can achieve much more with better conditions. You all know our situation but we try to make the best out of it,” added Pollack.
So far, a number of K’Ogalo players, including captain Kenneth Muguna have been linked with a move away from the financially troubled side.
The Briton, who replaced compatriot Hassan Oktay late 2019, picked his second monthly award after claiming the October gong, making him the only coach to have won a back-to-back trophy since the inception of the award.
“I’m delighetd to get this accolade but I dedicate it to fellow technical team at Gor Mahia and the players who worked very hard on the pitch to make it work,” said Polack.
The record Kenyan champions played five games in November winning three and drawing one and losing the other.
K’Ogalo began the month on a losing note when they went down 1-0 to bogey opponents Mathare United.
They then recovered with a 4-1 win over arch-rivals AFC Leopards and followed it with a 3-0 win over Kakamega Homeboyz before downing Bandari 2-0 in Mombasa.
The month ended with a barren draw against Ulinzi Stars in Kisumu.
Polack beat Sofapaka’s John Baraza who equally had an impressive month and Ulinzi Stars’ Benjamin Nyangweso.
Western Stima’s Salim Babu won the August-September award before Polack walked away with the October one.
He took home Sh75,000 courtesy of sponsor Fidelity Insurance and a personalized trophy.
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