Robin Toskin
12 February 2008
Nairobi — Kenya Premier League champions Tusker will not underrate Eritrea's Al Tahrir when they meet in a Caf Champions League first round tie on Saturday, coach Jacob Mulee has said.
"Eritrean sides have posed problems to Kenya because they are technical in their approach. Although a new side in the continental football, we expect Tahrir to play the usual Eritrean game and we will need to be at our best," Mulee said after Monday's training at their Ruaraka base.
Tusker eliminated Red Sea last year at the same stage with home and away wins, but that would not dissuade Mulee to relax their guard.
"We have been training hard knowing that the current squad is young. We are rebuilding, too, which means we don't have continental experience and thus we shall not leave anything to chance," said Mulee.
The alemen won the title last year, fending off Mathare United and former champions, Sony Sugar, but they have since lost sensational striker Allan Wanga to Angola's Petro Atletico.
Wanga's departure is likely to bestow bigger responsibilities to Gerald Mukonza who flourished last season alongside the Petro Atletico forward.
"There are knew players and we are yet to gauge them really in a match situation to see how they will cope with the continental duty. I am confident of their ability."
Tusker are also set to lose their first choice goalkeeper Wilson Oburu to Bandari of Mombasa.
"Oburu is on his way out which means the rebuilding process continues," said Mulee.
That leaves Harambee Stars Joseph Ruto as the only proven quality in Mulee's young side.
Mulee also has released Nigerian import midfielder Izuchukwu Okeke.
Tusker however will be buoyed by the signing of young attacking midfielder Joseph Waweru from deposed champions Sony and Hassan Aden who was suspended towards the end of last season for irregularly signing for the champions.
On the defence, Mulee will call upon international fullbacks John Njoroge and Ibrahim Shikanda.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Football Federation (KFF) has settled the debt amounting to US$ 6,500 owed to the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The settlement of the now clears uncertainty whether Kenyan clubs would be excluded from continental club competitions.
Caf disqualified Malawi, Sierre Leone, Rwanda, Central Africa Republic and Chad on Saturday for failing to meet their financial obligations.
International media has also reported Kenya had been disqualified. Obingo conceded Kenya also owed Caf but that they we in touch which spared them the axe.
"We have now settled the debt amounting to US$ 6500," Obingo told SportFest.
There had been fears Kenya's Caf Champions League representatives would be thrown out of the lucrative club competition. Tusker play Eritrea's Al Tahrir on Saturday in the first round.
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