2025 RECAP: The year Tusker gave birth to a star, underwhelmed, and welcomed an old face after overhaul

At the end of a rocky 2024-2025 season, I ended my Tusker review earlier last year with two questions.

"So will a bothered Ogam stay put, or will Okere's cup of pain be taken away?"

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It is fair to say that those two—striker Ryan Ogam and head coach Charles Okere—were the two main protagonists of Tusker's year in 2025.

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One, in Ogam, presented the brightest spark in a series of lowlights, while Okere, if not offering hope, was a man clinging to his dear life.

Inconsistency was the name of the game for the Brewers, with a host of chop-and-changes displacing key figures while bringing one back and injecting some new blood.

Here, we look at Tusker's year 2025.

Another trophyless campaign

When Tusker beat Gor Mahia at Machakos in mid-January, one dared to think they were the favorites to run away with the league title.

However, context said their place in the standings was too good to be true, given their shaky form in 2024 and their over-reliance on Ogam.

As fate would have it, the forward sustained a nasty knee injury in February, sending the team into near panic as they desperately went out in search of goals.

FKFPL top scorer Ryan Ogam likely to miss remainder of season after undergoing surgery

Promoted youth player David Polepole, despite his flashiness, was not an adequate replacement, and Ogam's gap, compounded by a rookie head coach on the touchline, led to a downward spiral that resulted in the club registering its worst points tally in five years.

In between that run were two key results—a 7-1 thrashing by Sofapaka in the league and a penalty shoot-out defeat to Nairobi United in the Mozzart Bet Cup Round of 32—all of which made that season downright empty and unimaginable for a team with lofty expectations.

Ogam exits the scene.

On 27 August, Ogam provided the answer to one of my aforementioned questions, choosing to chase his dreams abroad at Austrian Bundesliga side Wolfsberger AC.

The move, which had been preceded by failed bids from Algeria's USM Alger and Sweden's Ostersunds FK earlier in the year, came after the striker had shone for Harambee Stars at the 2024 African Nations Championships (CHAN), making his exit a no-brainer.

Tusker, who offered the youngster a chance in the top tier, cashed in handsomely but was challenged to find a player who would replicate his 15 goals in the new season.

Tusker bid farewell to Ogam ©Tusker FC

Major overhaul

Ogam, it seemed, was not the only man out of the Ruaraka doors, as experienced defender Mike Kibwage swiftly followed him, switching to Gor Mahia after his decent exploits at CHAN.

Those exits came on the back of a host of others, as the club released nine players in July, key among them: David Odoyo, Deogratious Ojok, and Mike Oduor.

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Old face and fresh blood

In a bid to bring on replacements, Tusker first opted to hire from within, promoting Polepole, Douglas Omanga, and George Odhiambo from their youth ranks, before recalling a familiar name in Eric Kapaito, who, after scoring 12 goals for The Brewers in 2024, encountered a tough spell in Tanzania's Namungo FC.

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Several other league standouts were brought on board, including Dennis Oalo, Cliff Oruko, Curtis Wekesa, Eugene Ikutwa, and Vincent Owino.

Okere's trials and tribulations

The entire 2025 for Okere best mimicked a man walking on a tightrope, as he found himself at the thick end of things in his debut season in the top tier.

After a trophyless campaign in the 2024-2025 season, the writing was on the wall for his exit, but the answer to my other question came when he got the nod to lead the team for another season.

Charles Okere during preseason ©Tusker FC

That, in last season's terms, meant Okere's cup of pain was still in his grasp, and he felt that from the off, when a bunch of Tusker fans asked for his sacking moments after the club lost its first game of the new season to KCB.

A week later, the Brewers lost 2-1 to Posta Rangers, a result that rang the club chairman's alarm bells and left Okere pleading with the board for patience.

A comeback draw against Shabana had the under-fire manager on his knees in deep joy, eliciting a funny GIF that went viral afterwards.

Tusker FC head coach explains reason behind bible celebration [VIDEO]

Patches of unbeaten runs continued well to the end of 2025, intertwined by losses to big boys Kenya Police and Gor Mahia, plus a self-inflicted defeat to Nairobi United in December.

That run of form did enough to save Okere's job, and currently has the side joint top, and is dreaming of a better 2026.

Whether that hope sticks and fails to look like 2025 is my big question this time round.