Don't focus on Alex Song, Matano warns ahead of Caf tie
Tusker FC players celebrate after they were crowned FKF-PL champions at Utalii grounds on August 22, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Tusker will have a feel of the pitch on Friday before the clash, whose second leg has been scheduled for September 18 in Nairobi. The winner of the tie will meet Egyptian giants Zamelek in the first round.
- The 59-year-old tactician told Nation Sport that despite Song being an accomplished player with a decorated career, his players' focus must be in the game and not an individual.
Tusker tactician Robert ‘The Lion’ Matano has warned his players against putting all their effort in marking Cameroonian star Alex Song when they battle Arta Solar 7 in the Caf Champions League preliminary match on Saturday.
The first leg tie will be played at the Hadj Hassan Gouled Stadium in Djibouti City behind closed doors to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
A travelling party consisting of 19 players, six members of the technical bench and four officials arrived in Djibouti on Wednesday.
Tusker will have a feel of the pitch on Friday before the clash, whose second leg has been scheduled for September 18 in Nairobi. The winner of the tie will meet Egyptian giants Zamelek in the first round.
The 59-year-old tactician told Nation Sport that despite Song being an accomplished player with a decorated career, his players' focus must be in the game and not an individual.
“Our focus is not on Song and I have even instructed my players to stop thinking about him. If all players focus on marking him, then they will use other players in their squad and beat us. We should collectively put our effort in winning the game," Matano told Nation Sport before the team jetted out of the country.
Song, a combative midfielder won the Spanish La Liga title with Barcelona in 2012/13 season followed by the Spanish Super Cup in 2013/2014 season, immediately after joining from English Premier League giants Arsenal.
The 33-year-old turned out for Arsenal for seven seasons and was part of the squad which reached the 2006 Uefa Champions League final but ended up losing 2-1 to Barcelona at the Stade de France.
He has won 49 caps for Cameroon's national team, the Indomitable Lions, and featured in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.
Matano acknowledged that he knows nothing tactically about the Djibouti champions, but noted that won’t hinder the good performance he anticipates on Saturday.
“I don’t know them ( Arta Solar 7), neither have I witnessed them play. We will just assess the game in the first few minutes, but we also have a tactical plan to approach it,” he added.
Matano further defended signing 11 new players, warning those who don't perform will have no chance in his team. He added that he decided to go for the top crop of players, but they have to collectively work as a team.
“Nobody has an upper hand and if you don’t perform or adhere to the team’s instruction, you will leave just like others who left before. I have 30 players and we have maintained our first 11 we had last season with the exception of Henry Meja, so they have to work hard to play for the team,” said Matano.
The new players at the brewers camp include Clyde Senaji, Teddy Osok, Charles Momanyi, Patrick Matasi, Shami Mwinyi, Daniel Sakari, Hillary Wandera, Brian Bwire, Tanzania duo of Joshua Ibrahim and Kalos Kirenge, as well as John Njuguna.
