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NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Nairobian

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack unfazed ahead of derby

Football

By Rodgers Eshitemi | Nov 07, 2019

**Gor Mahia fans cheer their team against AFC Leopards at Kasarani Stadium, Nairobi, on February 09.** [Stafford Ondego/www.sportpicha.com]

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack insists he is not worried of Mashemeji derby against AFC Leopards on Sunday despite yesterday’s 1-0 defeat to Mathare United in Machakos.

Fresh from their elimination from the Caf Confederation Cup, the record Kenyan champions looked fatigued and rusty in their loss to the ‘Slum Boys’. Englishman had to make do with fringe fullbacks; Joachim Oluoch and Llyod Khavuchi following the injuries on Wellington Ochieng and Geoffrey Otieno.

Gor, whose financial troubles are well documented, failed to train on Tuesday, just a day after jetting back from the Democratic Republic of Congo where they had lost 2-1 (3-2 on aggregate) to DC Motema Pembe in the playoffs second leg tie.

The defeat to Mathare, their first of the season in the local league was watched by AFC Leopards assistant coach Anthony Kimani and goalkeeper coach Lawrence Webo.

While Gor’s five-game unbeaten run came to a halt yesterday, their arch-rivals AFC Leopards who haven’t beaten them since June 2016 (1-0) are enjoying a fine form.

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Yet even as the defeat to Mathare would leave a bad taste in Gor’s taste buds, Polack is eager to make a winning debut in the derby.

“Yeah, it’s my first derby, but there are no jitters at all. I’m not worried about the derby. I’m thinking about this game, I’m going to analyse it before I start thinking about Sunday’s game,” said Polack.

‘It could be the best result or not. It’s a two-way situation. If you win it gives you confidence ahead of the derby, if you lose you should go and show people who you are on Sunday.”

The Englishman absolved himself from yesterday’s result saying the ‘difficult’ circumstances they found themselves in before tha Mathare match were beyond his control.

“I’m not concerned with the rustiness; we are just coming back from Congo and we didn’t train on Tuesday too, which we should have. The circumstances are beyond my control and like you have seen today, we looked a bit rusty,” said Polack.

“It is very difficult when you work under circumstances like this. I have a routine, I’m professional and that’s why I want people around me to be professional too and do the same thing. Of course, preparations for this match weren’t the best and makes everything difficult. I will keep our issues internal, I can’t reveal them to you.

“In football, you never know what can happen next. Nothing surprises me in African football.”

Though Gor has been hit by a few injuries, Polack is not giving up on bouncing back on Sunday.

“ I’m not only going to analyse today’s game but the preparation, the build-up, and my routine to matches. I’m going to speak to the players and work on their mental strength ahead of the derby.

“Both my fullbacks (Wellington and Geoffrey) are injured, I will give an update on their availability maybe after tomorrow’s (today) training.”