Froth-seeking Tusker jettison veteran stars
What you need to know:
- Eleven-time Kenyan club champions Tusker have accomplished one of the biggest squad overhauls in their 48 years of existence, off-loading 14 key players and recruiting 11 fresh faces.
- Captain James Situma, Kenyan international Allan Wanga, lanky midfielder Humphrey Mieno and speedy winger Noah Wafula were among the mainstay players who have been axed in the massive clean-up that was conceptualized by the club management and executed by assistant coach Francis Baraza.
Eleven-time Kenyan club champions Tusker have accomplished one of the biggest squad overhauls in their 48 years of existence, off-loading 14 key players and recruiting 11 fresh faces.
Captain James Situma, Kenyan international Allan Wanga, lanky midfielder Humphrey Mieno and speedy winger Noah Wafula were among the mainstay players who have been axed in the massive clean-up that was conceptualized by the club management and executed by assistant coach Francis Baraza.
Others are Cersidy Lumumba, Danson Kago, Ekaliana Ndolo, Luis Misiko, Martin Kizza, Moses Ndawula, George Mandela, Victor Ndinya, Stephen Owusu and Clifford Alwanga.
The club, it is understood, was keen to offload the “big names” with sources claiming they were unruly and had proved disruptive both on and off the field.
It is this purge that has ushered in Sam Timbe’s reign as Tusker coach, the Ugandan taking over from fellow countryman George “Best” Nsimbe who was shown the door shortly before the end of the season for poor performance.
Players who have profited from the shake-up are Ugandan defender Lawrence Kasadha, who was signed from KCCA, former Bandari forward Edwin Lavatsa, midfielder Timothy Otieno (Gor Mahia), Petrer Nzuki (Nakumatt), Mathew Odongo (Kariobangi Sharks), Erick Ambunya (Kakamega Homeboyz), Paul Muchika (Chemelil Sugar), Amos Asembeka (Sony Sugar), Robert Achema Kevin Okoth (Western Stima) and Apolo Otieno (Chemelil Sugar).
With 11 new players and more set to be roped in before the January 31 deadline, Timbe has stated that his mission is not be so much to win the trophy, but to build a team that can challenge for both national and international trophies in the near future.
“The management wants the trophy, but they also know that I have so many new players so I have to try and build the team first.
