NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 17 – Coach Charles Okere and his assistant George Maina have both announced their departure from Tusker FC, confirming a rumor that has been swirling around for a week or so over their futures at the 13-time FKF Premier League champions.
Both posted their farewell messages on their respective social media pages, though the club is yet to confirm their removal, and the hiring of a new coach. Sources intimate to Capital Sports that the new coach has already started work at the club.
Okere and Maina were both informed of the decision to relinquish them of their duties in a Monday morning meeting, following their 3-1 weekend defeat to Mathare United, their eighth loss of the season.
While they were being informed of their dismissal, at Ruaraka, new coach, Frenchman Julien Mette with his assistant Anthony Kimani were meeting the remaining members of the technical bench and the players to map out a new chapter at the club.
And, on Tuesday morning, Okere penned his tribute to the club, signing off by affirming ‘he will always be a fan’ even from the outside.
“From serving as assistant coach to leading the Youth Team and eventually stepping up to the senior team, it has been a journey of growth, resilience, and immense learning. While not every chapter unfolded exactly as planned, that is the nature of both football and life; a blend of triumphs and trials. I choose to carry forward the victories, the lessons, and the invaluable experiences,” Okere’s heartfelt message read.
His assistant, Maina, also mirrored similar words.
“Football, however, is unpredictable and life often demands difficult decisions. It has been a challenging season, and as is the nature of our game, changes had to be made. That means my journey with the club has, for now, come to an end,” Maina’s statement read.
He added; “Leaving a place I have always called and will forever call home is never easy. But this is the reality of coaching. We serve, we give our all, and we accept the moments as they come.”
The departure of the two puts an end to a troubled spell at Ruaraka, where the club struggled to knit results. They currently sit ninth in the standings with 27 points, a whooping 15 behind league leaders Gor Mahia, and their hopes of the title all but faded away.
This is the worst record for the Brewers in the last eight years, where they have always competed with Gor for the league title.
Last season, they had a chance to lift the league title, but they let that slip right through their fingers to end up finishing fourth.
A 2-1 defeat to Mathare United essentially ended their title hunt, while another similar loss to relegated FC Talanta buried the hopes completely. What followed was a catastrophic slide, a 7-1 smashing at the hands of Sofapaka putting further mud in their season.
But still, the club’s hierarchy kept faith in them, choosing not to judge them too harshly as it was only their first season.
But, come the new season, the script remained the same. A woeful start didn’t help matters, and the coach began to live in rented time. A 4-1 defeat to AFC Leopards at the start of the year put him hanging by a thread and the last straw was reportedly their FKF Cup match against Mwea United.
Despite winning 3-2, the performance put out in the match wasn’t pleasing, and it was then that the club’s top heirrachy stamped their decision to let the coach and his assistant go. A myriad of applicants who were waiting on the saidelines were sifted through, and Mette picked to come steady the ship.
Okere has had two different stints at Tusker. He first arrived at the club in 2018 as Robert Matano’s assistant beforehe briefly left for a stint with the Harambee Starlets as head coach in 2020. A FIFA ban then saw his tenure close out and he returned to the club as second assistant coach, and head coach of the Youth Team.
When Matano’s tenure ended at the end of the 2023/24 season, Okere, who had topped his CAF A Coaching class was the straight pick, the club looking at continuity rather than bring a fresh man in.
A good start saw the club remain in title contention, but the fallout of their failure to battle for any silverware brought the cracks that eventually led to a change in coaches.
Reports of player mutiny and an unsettled dressing room didn’t help matters, with some players said to have questioned the tactician’s methods while some all-together dropped their standards.
With Okere and Maina, both long serving members of the club now out, the Brewers will look for a fresh start to revitalize their fading status as giants of Kenyan football.
