Polack calls for beefing-up of team ahead of CAF Champions League
Following the ratification of Gor Mahia by Confederation of African Football (CAF) as the Kenyan representatives at next season’s Champions League, the club coach Steve Polack has called upon club chiefs to break the bank and beef-up the side with quality signings in preparation for the challenge.
Speaking at an awards ceremony yesterday, Polack tasked the Club Management with getting the best players in the market to enable them improve on their last season’s performance at the continental level.
The Englishman talked of a plans to hit the ground running once the Covid-19 pandemic eases. So far, it is believed that the multiple local champions are about to lose most of their stars, whose contracts are running out this month and the club management will need to convince most of the players to extend their contracts amid the harsh economic times the team is facing, as they also scout for quality players to help the side in their next campaign.
He expressed concern over the contract expiry of some players but said he was optimistic that the side would soldier on.
“The situation is not so good but we hope it will change.
At the moment I am thinking and focusing on our players during this phase because we gave them a training programme.
The pandemic has certainly interfered with our plans but again our health is most important.
As such we will only await government directives before we get back to the pitch. We are already looking forward to hit the ground running and it is our hope that the Kenya Premier League Management sort themselves out for the sake of clarity on when the next league may start,” Polack said.
Observed he: “The pandemic has been with us for three months now and the number of infections are still rising; we would expect KPL to have a second option so that things move on.
Whatever the case, we are ready to go back to work but at the same time rules state that clubs need 60 days pre-season, so it means that with this circus we are unlikely to even begin and finish the new campaign in time.”
The former Asante Kotoko Coach revealed that he has started discussing with the club on recruitment and has already identified the gaps that need to be beefed up.
“For starters, I want to hope the core of this team remains intact because no team prospers with constant changes.
There is need for stability and that is a fact. Having said that we are looking at fixing the weak areas especially ahead of the continental competitions and so we will look at some additions.
We know the type of players that we need to boost the team, to enable us make an impact on the continental stage this time around as well as domestically,” he said.
