Tyrone Kariuki looked impressive on his second ever FKFPL appearance for KCB despite their 1-0 loss to Shabana.
KCB coach Patrick Odhiambo ‘Luwowo’ believes his youthful squad headlined by Tyrone Kariuki may need time to fulfil their potential at the club following their 1-0 loss to Shabana in Machakos last weekend.
Keith Imbali’s goal off the bench was enough to give the visitors all the three points last weekend, and it now means KCB, who started like a house on fire at the beginning of the season, are destined to end in the mid-table positions for the umpteenth time this season.
However, Odhiambo, who coached Kakamega Homeboyz to an FKF Cup win in 2023, believes his charges still need time to adapt to the pace of the league, highlighting Tyrone Kariuki as a good example.
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Odhiambo: Kariuki needs time to develop
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Most fans were surprised to see Tyron Kariuki, a footballer who wowed them so much during the CECAFA U-18 Boys Championships held in Kenya in late 2023 miss out on the final 25-man squad for the tournament,where they were eliminated at group stage level.
Kariuki has struggled for gametime since leaving the now-defunct Rainbow FC in July 2024, with a move to Croatia failing to materialise.
He trained with a host of FKF Premier League sides for a while before securing a move to KCB in February, but his game against Shabana was his second ever appearance for the side.
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The lack of sufficient gametime, plus the fact that at U-20 level, he has not been a key player so much, rendered his services not needed for the tournament.
During the qualifiers for the tournament in Tanzania, he only made a handful of substitute appearances off the bench, so it was clear Salim Babu did not need him that much for the number 10 role, especially with Aldrine Kibet and AFC Leopards’ Kelly Madada on finer form.
Odhiambo now believes more gametime will only help Kariuki and other inexperienced players in the side improve over time, which explains their inconsistent performances.
“With Tyrone, this was his second match in the Premier League. Someone like Orono (Collins) is playing his debut season in the league, so most of them are growing and we have to accept that they are still developing.”
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Odhiambo pointed to the benefits of having experienced heads in the team, like with Shabana, singling out Imbali for praise.
“These youngsters are still developing. You cannot force things. Look at Kimbali (Keith Imbali) . He is anticipating space and attacked it at the right time.
“But for us, we were finding ourselves one one one against the keeper but not succeeding. Football is a journey.”
KCB’s results have fluctuated since the turn of the year, and Odhiambo is clearly taking the long view, trusting that more minutes and experience will eventually turn potential into performance — especially for Kariuki and others hoping to cement their place in top-flight football.