Tusker FC Coach Not Losing Sleep Over Early CECAFA Kagame Cup Elimination

Tusker FC head coach Julien Mette has remained upbeat despite his side suffering a second consecutive defeat at the 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup.

The Brewers opened their Group C campaign with a 2–0 loss to Sudanese giants Al Hilal SC at Amahoro Stadium before falling 1–0 to hosts Rayon Sports in their second outing.

The back-to-back defeats ended Tusker's hopes of progressing to the knockout stage, leaving them without a point ahead of their final group fixture against Zanzibar's KVZ SC.

Despite the disappointing results, Mette insists the tournament has served its intended purpose. Tusker entered the competition as late replacements for Sudan's El Merreikh, with the FKF Cup champions viewing the Kigali-based tournament as an important part of their pre-season preparations ahead of the new campaign.

Speaking after the match, Julien Mette explained that Tusker had approached the CECAFA Kagame Cup primarily as a crucial phase of their preparations for the upcoming season rather than a competition they had entered under ideal circumstances.

He noted that the club's late inclusion in the tournament significantly disrupted their build-up, leaving the technical bench with under two weeks to get the squad ready.

Mette added that the limited preparation time was further complicated by the staggered arrival of players, with some only linking up with the team shortly before the tournament began.

While he stressed that he was not using those factors to justify the defeats, he said they had inevitably affected the team's cohesion and overall readiness.

According to Mette, developing a fluid attacking unit requires time for players to build chemistry, understand each other's movement and make instinctive decisions in the final third.

He said Tusker are still working towards that level of understanding, which had contributed to their struggles in creating clear-cut scoring opportunities despite enjoying significant spells of possession in their matches.

“For us, it's a pre-season; it's like a training camp. So, of course, it's competition, but we have been registered very late. So, we have had less than two weeks to prepare. Some of the players arrived two days before we started the competition. So, it's not excuses, but it's circumstances,” Julien Mette said.

“So, yeah, in the process of attacking, the most difficult thing in football, you need... a good pattern and you need to know your teammate, what type of run he likes to do. So we are in this process…but that explains why we have not been so dangerous offensively, despite the fact we have, I think, more possession than the opponent. But in general, it was a very interesting game.”

Mette said the tournament was an invaluable opportunity for Tusker, drawing on his previous experience with Congolese side AS Otoho, where he had twice suffered early CAF Champions League exits after inadequate pre-season preparations.

Having learnt the importance of entering continental competitions with a well-prepared squad, he revealed that he had urged the club's hierarchy to embrace every opportunity to expose the team to high-level opposition before the new season, a proposal they supported.

He added that Tusker's pre-season programme would also include participation in Simba Day, describing such occasions as vital in helping the players acclimatise to the intensity, pressure and competitive atmosphere they are likely to encounter in the CAF Confederation Cup.

Julien Mette maintained that the team should have identified their weaknesses now rather than during the continental campaign, noting that the remaining weeks before their CAF Confederation Cup campaign provided ample time to address the shortcomings exposed in Kigali.

Despite the disappointment of another defeat, Mette insisted his focus remained firmly on the bigger picture, expressing confidence that the team would be in a much stronger position by the time their continental campaign begins in September.

“But it was a tight game, not so many opportunities, and they have scored on their second opportunities, which we have not been able to do, so it's hard to say that I am very happy, but I'm looking forward to the future, so I know in September my team will be ready,” he said.

“But I'm never worried when Erambo comes in because when he feels that he's challenged, he gives the best. Sometimes he sleeps when he's in the starting lineup. At each position, I have at least two good players who can be challenged.

“Today we have played with the second goalkeeper because our first goalkeeper is not yet free. But in the next game we will play with our first goalkeeper. So it's a process for a team that wants to win trophies. You need many players at each position.”