Shikokoti vows to lift Kagame Cup, coach underrates Azam FC

 

Joseph Shikokoti who wear Tusker Jearsey

 Tusker captain and stalwart defender Joseph Shikokoti has expressed his belief that his club can win the Cecafa Kagame Cup.Speaking with The Citizen yesterday, Shikokoti, who won the title with Tusker in 2008, said Tusker are in the regional event for only one mission – redeeming Kenya’s football image by clinching the title.

“I won the title with Tusker in 2008 and this is a better squad than the one we had so we have the quality to do the same thing.”

“Experience will come in handy. I have been here before but it will be difficult because  Tanzania has strong teams in Yanga, Azam and Simba.

“Having played here I'm prepared to marshall this team to deliver what they need for Kenya,” the towering defender said.

Tusker are in group B comprising Azam and Mafunzo and their first match today will decide their position in the standing.

Meanwhile, Tusker head coach Sammy “Pamzo” Omollo says that his team is ready for the tournament.
“This is one tournament that we have been taking very seriously and the players are in excellent mental state.

I have been observing their character for the last one week and I can say we are ready for the tournament and we want to start with a win from the first match. The most important thing now is to top the group,” Pamzo said.

Tusker will play their first match this afternoon against Zanzibar’s Mafunzo. Omollo attended the match between Mafunzo and Azam played at the Chamazi grounds on Sunday and said: “I can say both teams are quite average. Not really the strong kind of opponents I thought they were. I observed both of them in that match though they were a little rigid and did not show off much of what they have to offer.

“All I can say is, if we will do everything right and keep our focus, we can win all the matches,” said a confident Pamzo.

“I compared them to Kenyan teams and I saw a lot of things that we can capitalise on from them. They are prone to too many mistakes and their attackers are also not as sharp,” added Omollo. The brewers have been holding morning training sessions at the University of Dar  es Salaam grounds. The last time they participated was in 2008, they won the cup.