Tusker FC head coach Charles Okere/ HANDOUTAfter bidding farewell to their talismanic forward
and Kenyan international Ryan Ogam, Tusker FC head coach Charles Okere insists
the brewers are already laying the foundations to produce the country’s next
big striker.
The mercurial striker departed the Ruaraka-based outfit for Austrian Bundesliga club Wolfsberger AC.
Ogam had a superb 2024/25 campaign, where he scored 15 goals in 17 matches before picking up a knock in the second half of the season that put him on the sidelines for much of the season.
Despite the injury, Ogam still managed to finish third on the top scorer charts behind Kakamega Homeboyz' Moses Shumah (17) and Talanta's Emmanuel Osoro (16).
His departure leaves a glaring hole in Tusker’s attack, but Okere remains bullish about the club’s ability to mould another forward.
"We will miss Ogam, he is a player who averages one goal per game. But now we are building another Ryan," Okere said.
"It’s a loss to us, but at the same time it's an opportunity for another person to showcase his talent."
Tusker have been active in the transfer market, bringing in fresh faces to bolster their ranks as they bid for a title challenge that fizzled out last season.
"The technical team did a great job in terms of recruitment and scouting. We believe the new blood we have brought into the team will gel well with the old guard. We are excited about the new season because we have fresh energy in the team," Okere added.
Tusker hope to mount a serious title charge in the new season after a heartbreaking 2024/25 campaign.
Last season, Tusker were seen as serious title contenders, but errors in the second half of the season cost them dearly to finish fourth with 57 points.
Kenya Police claimed their maiden crown with 65 points ahead of Gor Mahia (59) and Homeboyz (58).
Determined not to repeat the same mistakes, Tusker have been putting in the hard yards during pre-season.
"We are trying to take it a step at a time and trying to rectify the mistakes of the previous season since the league kicks off in the next two weeks," said Okere.
"At the moment, it’s all about building cohesion and teamwork."
The brewers kicked off their pre-season friendly matches with a 1-0 win over promoted APS Bomet on Tuesday, courtesy of Eric Kapaito's strike.
They open their 2025/26 campaign at home to KCB on September 20, with Posta Rangers (September 27), Mathare United (October 1), Shabana (October 5) and Murang'a Seal (October 19) completing their first five matches.
Okere underlined the club’s commitment to youth development.
"Integrating the young players into the senior team is part of our culture... to give opportunities to the boys to grow into men," he said.
He pointed to Ogam, who joined the brewers at the start of last season from Rainbow FC, as a testament to Tusker’s philosophy.
"Ryan Ogam is a good example of that philosophy. He only stayed here for seven months, and at the moment, he is on the next level of his career," he observed.
