Sammy Kitula
2 December 2011
After claiming the 2011 Kenyan Premier League title, Tusker FC now have their sights trained on continental glory.
The brewers, who have lifted the KPL trophy an impressive nine times, have also triumphed at the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) stage on five occasions, their last victory having come in 2008.
With a twin campaign coming up early next year, the team’s sponsors, East Africa Breweries Limited, have put into place plans to professionalise its operations.
Part of EABL’s plans is to soon appoint a chief executive officer to manage the team as is the case in professional clubs the world over.
The CEO will be charged with running the team as opposed to the present non-executive board.
“There’s a need to have an executive CEO who manages the day-to-day running of the club as a necessary step towards moulding Tusker FC into a better team,” EABL Group Managing Director Seni Adetu said on Thursday when he presented the team with a new bus and a Sh1 million bonus for winning the league title.
“The Tusker FC board is currently working on a proposal to move the team to the next level,” Adetu said.
“The board will present those proposals to EABL.
“We will look at its merits and make the necessary decisions to improve the team.
“At EABL, we intend to continue investing in the team, based on the technical advice we will receive from the team’s board led by James Musyoki. If this involves buying new players, bringing in a more technically sound bench, we are ready to commit.”
He vowed to channel resources to the club as it prepares to take on the best of Africa in the Champions League.
“It’s a good feeling to see Tusker ruling the Premier league. We are fully behind you and will support you in every department, just to see you conquer the continent,” Adetu promised.
Yet to shine at continental stage
The brewers are yet to make their presence felt in continental club football, the African Champions League, in six appearances.
“We will start our training on December 27 as we prepare for our continental fixtures,” said Tusker head coach Sammy Omollo.
“We need to aim higher than our previous results. This time we will do better.”
Tusker, who managed a second-round position in the Champions League – their best performance in the competition- in 2001, have reached the first round four times and bowed out in the preliminary round once.
As the club readies itself for professionalism, however, there has been talk of EABL severing ties with Tusker FC as the board will be mandated with managing the team.
Nobody can doubt the brewers’ title credentials, going by the way they overcame every adversity that was thrown their way over the course of the past nine months.
But there were a few reasons and a handful of matches that led to the trophy heading back to Ruaraka after four years of an agonising wait.
One thing that has been quickly forgotten was the way Tusker started the season: losing once in their opening seven matches.
Another thing worth noting is the brewers’ defence.
In their 30 league matches, the Joseph Shikokoti-marshaled backline was the meanest of the 16 teams, conceding only 17 times.
To take the league title from military side Ulinzi Stars, Tusker tallied 34 goals – a 1.2 goals-per-game average. Their away form was also awesome, losing only once (0-1) to the former champions.
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