Tusker FC head coach Julien Mette has urged his players to put their CAF Confederation Cup disappointment behind them and focus on domestic success as they prepare to face Mathare United in the SportPesa Premier League on Thursday, October 29.
The Brewers exited the CAF Confederation Cup in the second preliminary round after their continental ambitions were cut short by Tanzania’s Singida Black Stars, following a 1-1 draw in the return leg, which left them trailing 2-1 on aggregate.
The result ended their hopes of reaching the group stages and shifted their attention to the competitions available on home soil.
Mette believes the disappointment can be addressed through regular match action, with Tusker returning to the SportPesa Premier League just days after completing their continental assignment.
“My players have a mental injury and they have a lot of regret because they feel we could have done better. This can only be cured by playing matches immediately, and I am glad we have a league match just three days after returning from Tanzania,” said Mette.
The coach is now urging his squad to pursue domestic success, pointing out that winning major honours in Kenya offers a route back to African competition next season.
“I have asked them to focus on the league because if they want to get back to CAF competitions next year, they need to win trophies here in the country. The avenues to the two competitions are by winning the league or the Mozzart Cup,” he added.
Tusker’s immediate challenge is to turn that message into a result against Mathare, who are also seeking an improvement in their league campaign. Mette is expected to make adjustments to his line-up after two demanding encounters against Singida, with squad depth likely to play a role in the weeks ahead.
The tactician says players who have had fewer opportunities could feature as he manages the workload of those involved in the continental fixtures. He is also using the early stages of the season to assess which members of the squad can provide reliable cover when first-choice players are unavailable.
“I am going to rest some of the players who faced Singida, although I have prepared the whole team. Some players are frustrated because they have not had enough minutes, so I am going to give them an opportunity to play and I am confident they will perform well even after rotating the squad,” he said.
Mette added that his technical team has already assessed which players require recovery time and who can step in, expressing confidence that the changes will not undermine Tusker’s performance.
The potential rotation comes as captain Aboud Omar and midfielder Crispine Erambo manage the demands of their recent international assignments with Harambee Stars. Both missed Tusker’s opening league match against Ulinzi Stars after travelling with the national team to Guinea for an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier and subsequently to Rwanda for an international friendly.
Tusker won that season opener 2-0, with Victor Mbaoma and Alvin Mangeni scoring after the break. The result gave the Brewers three points to begin their domestic campaign.
Defender Thomas Teka Omenda and midfielder Hassan Warsama have also returned from injury, giving Mette more options as he prepares for the match. Warsama featured in both legs against Singida.
Tusker enter Thursday’s fixture with three points from one league match, while Mathare have two points from three outings and are yet to record a win.
The meeting gives the Brewers an opportunity to regain momentum, with Mette seeking a domestic response to the disappointment of their continental exit.
