Why Gor Mahia is not hunting for a new coach

Gor Mahia Steven Polack gestures during their friendly match against Ksports on March 11, 2020 at Parklands Sports Club in Nairobi.

Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Polack joined K'Ogalo in 2019 replacing Hassan Oktay who left the club citing personal reasons
  • Rachier is also confident the team has done good transfer business in the current transfer window
  • The reigning Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions have signed 14 players and he believes they will fit in well into the team



Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier has dismissed allegations that head coach Steven Polack is on his way out of the team.

The tactician left the country on September 11 for a short holiday but grapevine had it that he was set to exit the club. Rachier has however dismissed the reports and says the coach will be back soon.

"We granted him leave and he is currently in Finland. What complicates matters is the fact that he had to spend two weeks in quarantine but he should be coming back. I haven't heard anything from him to the effect that he wants to quit the club so those are just baseless rumours," Rachier told Nation Sport.

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack poses for photos with the trophy after he was named the Fidelity Insurance Coach of the Month for November on January 9, 2020 at Camp Toyoyo grounds in Nairobi.

Photo credit: Pool | SJAK

"He has a return ticket and is eager to continue with his work at the club. As a matter of fact, the programme the team is following at the moment was solely curated by him," he added.

Polack joined K'Ogalo in 2019 replacing Hassan Oktay who left the club citing personal reasons.

Rachier is also confident the team has done good business in the current transfer window. The reigning Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions have signed 14 players and he believes they will fit in well into the team.

The team resumed training albeit in small groups due to Covid-19 regulations earlier this week and Rachier says all is proceeding well.

Gor Mahia's Cameroonian midfielder Bertrand Konfor (right) jogs alongside his teammates during a training session at Riverside grounds in Ruaka, Nairobi on September 22, 2019.

Photo credit: Pool | Gor Mahia

"We lost a number of players but I believe the 14 we have brought in are good enough to fill the void left. I cannot authoritatively say we now have a better team than last season - that is an area of expertise for the coach and the technical bench," said Rachier.

"As management, we will accord the team all the necessary support within our reach to ensure the team does well locally and continentally," he added.

Some of the new signings include Burundian International Jules Ulimwengu, Malawian wonderkid Andrew Malisero, Ugandan forward Tito Okello, Cameroonian Bertrand Konfor, Andrew Juma, former Nairobi City Stars goalkeeper Levis Opiyo, John Macharia, John Ochieng from Chemelil Sugar, Kennedy Owino, Benson Omala and Kelvin Wesonga who joined from Western Stima amongst other fresh faces.

Gor Mahia's Kenyan striker Benson Omalla works out during a light training session at Riverside grounds in Ruaka on September 22, 2020.

Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group

The team lost some key players notably Kenyan International Joash Onyango who moved to Simba, goalkeeper David Mapigano to Azam, Boniface Omondi and Peter Odhiambo to Wazito and Dickson Ambundo who returned to his native Tanzania.