FKF Premier League: Will Tusker's ruthless off-season shake-up make them edge out Gor Mahia?

Tusker have made drastic changes to the playing and coaching staff ahead of the new season, will it enable them to edge out Gor Mahia?

Tusker FC, 12-time Kenyan champions, will be targeting to end their title drought this season following the significant shake-up they made during the off-season after back-to-back second place finishes.

The Brewers had an inconsistent 2023-24 season, losing nine games, drawing five and winning 20, which put them on 65 points, eight behind eventual champions Gor Mahia.

Their finish was a drop-off from the 69 points they recorded in the 2022/23 season, where they got perilously close to winning the league, but lost to Gor Mahia by one point after failing to get all the three during their penultimate clash against Posta Rangers.

Following their eventual finish, the club decided to make significant changes to both the playing and technical staff. 

Robert Matano, who enjoyed a six-year second spell at the club that saw him deliver two league titles -even if the one from the 2021/22 campaign was nullified after Football Kenya Federation voided the season - left the club following the expiry of his contract.

The writing had been on the wall for Matano, having been at loggerheads with the club’s management over the last one year that even saw him dare chairman Robert Gacheru into sacking him.

The club also let go of 11 players. Eric Kapaito, Daniel Sakari, Brian Bwire, Eric Zakayo, Stewart Omondi, Collins Otieno, Jimmy Mbugua, Eugene Asike, Boniface Onyango, Eric Otieno and Ibrahim Joshua left the club for greener pastures.

In their place, the club decided to bring in 11 players. The new signings unveiled last week were Eric Naaman ‘Aviator' Balecho (Murang'a SEAL), custodian Joseph ‘Spiderman’ Ochuka (Bandari), and two Uganda imports, George Kaddu (Wakiso Giants) and Boban Zirintusa (Biashara FC).

Others include Yusuf ‘Afande’ Mainge (Kenya Police), Jacob Onyango (Sofapaka), Dennis Wanjala (Nairobi City Stars), Ryan Ogam (Rainbow FC), Thomas Omole (Vihiga Bullets), Alex Onchwari (Muhoroni Youth), and Teddy Dok Onyango (Tusker Youth).

The side also decided to appoint Charles Okere as the interim coach, opting to source from within rather than bring from the outside.

Okere, who was managing Tusker Youth FC before being promoted, has exuded confidence that the club can achieve its objectives of going for the double this season.

"I have told the whole team that our target in the coming season is to win the Premier League and FKF Cup. We are ready for this, and as we do this, we are preparing a team that will compete beyond Kenya because if we win the league we will represent the country in the CAF Champions League next season,” he stated following the club’s kit and player unveiling ceremony.

The club are still in the market for new signings as they try to strengthen their squad as much as possible for the monumental challenge of winning the title this season.

“The window is closing on ninth of next month (September) so we wait and see what happens before then, but in the meantime, a 29-man squad that we have at the moment can help us achieve our goal,” said the tactician.

Tusker have tended to start seasons poorly over the last couple of years before picking up momentum midway and finishing strong.

Last season, they failed to win in three of their first 10 games. The season prior, they failed to win six of their first 11 games.

Assistant captain, Mike Kibwage believes the club must look to gather early positive momentum this time round if they are to stand a chance of achieving their objectives.

“We now have good depth in the team, and the new players have gelled in well with the rest of the team and we are now targeting to have a high start because our league opener might determine how our season will look like, and with the squad we have, I am pretty sure we will take home three points,” said Kibwage.

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