New coach for Asante Kotoko Steve Polack has already taken charge of the dressing room, preparing for his first major assignment on Sunday.
TV3’s Michael Oti Adjei caught up with him in a Q & A at the club’s training grounds.
Q. How massive a responsibility do you think switching it around will be?
A. First of all, I must say I love coming for it. I love coming to work with a desire and passion. I give 110% in training and expect that from my players, I don’t take nonsense from my players, when we are working we are working and when we are having fun, we have fun. I just love the game of football, I have been in it since I was about 2 or 3 years old, and it’s in my blood, so every time I give 110%. I have seen a better change. I have been here for two weeks. Every training session is getting better and better. Players exhibit commitment, desire and passion at each moment.
Q. Do you think Kotoko will go back to the winning ways and climb up the table because ultimately that’s what every Kotoko fan want?
A. Yes Kotoko is a big club, if not the biggest club in Ghana. If you look at the titles they have won in the last couple of years. They had a bit of lapse in the last couple of years and hopefully I can help them get back to where they were in few years back. It is going to be difficult because it’s eleven points to the top but mathematically there is a chance, because it’s 45 points. We will play one match at a time and be positive in going in every match game to try and win it.
READ: Steven Polack confirmed new coach of Asante Kotoko
Q. This is the third club you are handling in Ghana, how does all this experience help in trying to solve this?
A. It is great because when I first came, thank you to Alhaji Grusah for bringing me here. I have a lot of respect for him, I always thank him, again and again because but for him I wouldn’t have been at Kotoko, but I did say that, 10 years ago that one day I will be here. It has come and its fun. I have grabbed it with both hands to show people what I can do. I know the task ahead and I have got experience. I think the players are buying into my principle, I know it’s going to take time. The last game we played we won one nil, it could have been more. The attitude was good and we are going to take that into the game on Sunday.
Q. You have lived in Kumasi for a while, having had knowledge about this club, does it make your job easier or it piles up the pressure a bit more?
A. When I related with the supporters, I understood they pay a certain amount of money to watch the game which pays part of the players’ salaries. So I think as coaching staff we have the right to do the best we can on the day when we are playing. Sometimes our best may not be good enough. They have the right to be angry, they have a variety of opinions but I don’t necessarily like the abuse, that doesn’t work for me. First of all, it’s in Twi . I don’t understand in any way. If you want to talk to me fine but you do not have to come to me and my players in an aggressive manner. The supporters must know I will give 110% everyday 24/7. I will make sure we work hard and hopefully we get the results we need.
Credit: Yaw Ofosu Larbi