Wake up call for Tusker after a 1-0 humiliation by KCCA

Tusker FC will have to settle fast ahead of the forthcoming Kenyan Premier League season if they are to avoid a poor start, as it was in the 2017 season.

Newly appointed head Coach Sam Timbe, acknowledged the new players signed at the Ruaraka based club have not fully settled, challenging them to fit in fast before the league kickoff in two weeks’ time.

Speaking to Citizen Digital after their 1-0 loss to Ugandan Premier League (UPL) champions Kampala City Council Authority on Monday, Timbe, however, expressed confidence there is room for improvement before the new season.

“The boys are determined and with a little more training they will be good. This game has highlighted what we have to work on before the start of the league.

“In the first half we didn’t play well and the visitors were too bold but for the second half, the approach changed and we had chances to score but we kept losing them. We have our work well cut out from what we saw,” said the Ugandan tactician.

Notably, seven new players featured in the match including Edwin Lavatsa, Timothy Otieno, Matthew Odongo, Eric Ambunya and Peter Nzuki among others.

The team is almost a new set up with most of the first team players exiting at the end of 2017 season. Allan Wanga, Humphrey Mieno, former Captain James Situma and Stephen Owusu are some of the key members of last season, who were released.

In the same vein, KCCA’s assistant coach Byekwaso Morley has backed Kenya’s 11-time champions to perform in the KPL 2018 season.

“Tusker has good players and they have a bright future they played well the only problem is the connection of the players, we have seen that most of their players are new but with more training, they are going to do well in the new season,” said the coach.

Tusker struggled to replicate their 2016 heroics in 2017, losing both the league and the Shield titles to rivals Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards respectively.

Coincidentally, another Ugandan George ‘Best’ Nsimbe was at the helm having taken over from yet another one Paul Nkata, the former losing his job after the difficult season.

Timbe will be under pressure to bring back the glory Brewers lost under the stewardship of his countryman.