After playing his entire top-flight career as an out-and-out striker, Tusker FC head coach Julien Mette has revealed a reversal of roles for lethal forward Eric Kapaito.
Kapaito, who has won the FKF Premier League Golden Boot twice, in 2018 and 2021, has been deployed as a centre forward for the better part of his career due to his exceptional goal-scoring abilities.
However, since the arrival of French tactician Mette at Tusker in mid-February, the 30-year-old has played either off the striker or out wide. The Kenya international was once again deployed behind Ibrahim Joshua before the latter was withdrawn in the second half of their 1-0 defeat to AFC Leopards on Sunday, 22 March, with Mette explaining thereafter.
Kapaito was a centre forward in a 4-3-3 when I arrived, which, for me, does not fit his quality because he is a good baller, very good at dropping and can turn. He is between a number 10 and 9. He is equally a good leader for the team, and so I have to balance.
The former Djibouti national team head coach also explained his ability to redeploy his players, noting that he is satisfied to work with the players at his disposal.
As a coach, you have to work with the squad that you have. You have to adapt to the quality you have. It is easy to say I do not like this player and would like to recruit, but that is the job of a sports director, and I am not one. You give me a player, and I improve him. You give me a team, I improve it.
It remains to be seen how fruitful the new role assigned to the two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) will be beneficial to the Brewers.
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