- The Ruaraka-based club promoted Eric Zakayo and Mario Kakai to the senior team last season. According to the Tusker chairman’s observation, the youth team had been losing star players to other teams who were offering better.
Tusker is keen to rebuild its youth team which will feature in the Football Kenya Federation(FKF) Division two Eastern zone in the new season aside from strengthening the senior team.
“We have been focusing a lot on the senior team but this time round we are looking for funds for our junior side. We want to recruit young players and ensure their welfare is well catered for unlike in the past where we have been giving them bus fare and allowances albeit once in a blue moon. We have been promoting two rookies to the senior team but we hope with a strong team, many will even compete for places in the big team and other big clubs,” he explained.
In the previous season, the club had adopted a strategy of promoting a minimum of two rookies to the senior team. The chairman, Daniel Aduda believes that deserving players will earn playing time in the top flight if the junior side secure shirt sponsorship.
Aduda also said that they are looking for funds to retain the outstanding players to integrate them into the senior team and to motivate the youngsters.He also revealed their intentions to bring in more players to the senior team to cover the inadequacy realized by coach Robert Matano.
“Apart from the youth team, we are aware that coach Matano had requested for one or two players and we have to avail resources for him to achieve the targets which we have set for him,” he said.
“It’s true we are looking for more partners but we have not held any talks with the bookmaker at all. I have read online that we have nailed down a new sponsor which is not true. We are still negotiating with a host of firms but none of them is in the business of sports betting,” he explained.
