Decide fate of league, Gor coach Polack tells KPL

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has told the Kenyan Premier League to show leadership by deciding the fate of the local football league instead of adopting a wait-and-see attitude.

Speaking to Nation Sport on Saturday, Polack urged the Kenyan Premier League to either make the decision to hand his club a 19th league title, or nullify the season.

Polack said it was time the league body decided the fate of the season which has seen all local football activities suspended following a ban on sports activities and social gatherings a day after Kenya recorded her first confirmed case of coronavirus on March 13. KPL suspended the top league with 10 rounds of matches remaining.

The outspoken coach downplayed the chances of the league running to conclusion following the extension of dawn to dusk curfew for another 30 days and cessation of movement in and out of Nairobi.

"I have washed my hands on the matter of the current season because it will be impossible to complete the remaining matches. As KPL meets this week, my proposal to them is to either cancel the season and hand over the title to us or nullify it,” he said yesterday.

CURFEW EXTENDED

President Uhuru Kenyatta Saturday extended the dusk to dawn curfew, but changed the timing from the initial 5am to 7pm to a new time of 4am to 9pm.
But the ban on sports activities remains in place.

"The remaining matches cannot be completed in late July yet the new season should start by late August. My focus is now on next season and not the remaining 10 matches," he said.

The Briton agreed that either decision would evoke positive and negative reactions from different KPL clubs, more so those at the top and at the bottom of the table of standings.

He however said that as the body tasked with making decisions on such matters, KPL should not fear any backlash.

"They should not fear or engage in supremacy battles. What the president has done is for the safety of Kenyans, including footballers. KPL shouldn't wait for another 30 days but should come out and give direction," he added.

GOVERNING COUNCIL

On Tuesday, the league body hinted that matches could resume if the government relaxed some restrictions on movement. However, Nairobi and Mombasa counties are still under lockdown.

More than half of the KPL teams are based in Nairobi. Bandari is the only team from Mombasa.

Polack has often said that the fair way is to hand Gor Mahia the KPL title, but he would embrace any decision from KPL.

The 18-time champions Gor lead the KPL log on 54 points after 23 rounds of matches. This is seven points more than second-placed Kakamega Homeboyz who have been on the pitch 22 times.

Next week, a KPL Governing Council meeting, to be chaired by the chairman Ambrose Rachier, is expected to seal the fate of this season.