Gor Mahia coach Polack defends team selection

Gor Mahia head coach Steven Polack has urged the club's new signings to fight for places in his squad as the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) enters the homestretch.

The defending champions sit top with 54 points, seven ahead of Kakamega Homeboyz who have a game in hand with nine games left to the end of the season.

Some of the players signed by Gor during January transfer window are Ugandan import Juma Balinya, Ghanaian Jackson Owusu, Clinton Okoth and Nicholas Omondi.

Owusu, who was signed from Asante Kotoko where Polack coached before joining K’Ogalo, has featured prominently in KPL matches including the 1-0 win against AFC Leopards in last Sunday's "Mashemeji Derby".

Balinya made his debut against Nzoia Sugar and grabbed a brace but has since fallen down the pecking order with Nicholas Kipkurui being preferred upfront.

Okoth was the National Super League top scorer with 14 goals by the time Gor signed him from Migori Youth while the youthful Omondi was attached to Kibera Black Stars where he was a dependable player.

Polack said the duo of Okoth and Omondi have not been featuring because it will take time for them to be integrated in the team.

“The two youngsters are still not ready to play at this level and it will take time though I can’t tell how long that will be. I have not been leaving them out due to tactical issues nor magnitude of the game but because I chose my squad from how one impresses in training,” said Polack adding that he doesn’t discriminate against any player. “The new players and the ones I found in the team are all under me. As a coach I know all of them because I'm the one who trains them. I chose who to play after observing them in training."

Polack is under pressure to win the league title having failed to guide the club to the group stage of Caf Champions League.