Tusker FC new signing Stephen Owusu reveals rivals Gor Mahia wanted to sign him

Tusker new signing Ghanaian Stephen Owusu has for the first time talked about coming to Kenya, the clubs that chased after him, how he ended up in Ruaraka and the challenges he has so far faced adapting to life in Nairobi.

Owusu revealed to kpl.co.ke how he nearly signed for league champions Gor Mahia when he arrived in Kenya early this year, but that the brewers made a swoop on him and that is how he ended up in Ruaraka.

“Initially, my agent had brought me to attend trials with Posta Rangers, but when I arrived here, I tried out with several teams and Gor Mahia even expressed interest. Tusker were however first and fast to table an offer which my agent thought was just perfect,” he said.

Owusu, joined the brewers at the beginning of the season from Nigeria’s top tier side FC Sharks and is not shy to state that he was a leading scorer in three different African clubs, and that he hopes to achieve the same feat with Tusker this year.

“I have played for several countries in Africa, and one thing that stands out is that most of the times I finish as either top scorer or runners up. This is my target with the brewers this year,” he said.

The 32-year-old said that he was settling in very well at the club but admitted missing his homeland’s staple food Jollof rice - a popular dish in many parts of West Africa that is prepared in many variations. The most common basic ingredients include rice, tomatoes, onions, salt, and hot red pepper.

Owusu also admitted struggling to master east Africa's lingua franca, Kiswahili.

“I have already made some friends here, although they keep speaking in Kiswahili so now I have to learn the language. I am trying but it will take time. However, everyone at the club including the technical bench is very helpful and very caring with regards to my wellbeing,” he said in English.

The Ghanaian said he had hit it off well with his strike partner Jesse Were who is “my best friend at the club at the moment.”

Owusu is a seasoned player who has featured for several top clubs in the continent, including South African powerhouses Kaizer Chiefs, Esperance of Tunisia and Ghana’s Asante Kotoko.

He said that he had always followed the Kenyan Premier League via South Africa-based pay satellite television SuperSport, and that he was familiar with east African football.

“Even when I was at home I used to know some details about the Kenyan league because I used to follow the action from the home. This is my first east African club, but I know a lot about this region,” he said.

Apart from challenges with the Kiswahili language and missing his home food, he said he has had some trouble adjusting to the local weather.

“I did not think it would be this hot. I miss our rice, but I have come to adopt ugali and chapati as my favourite dishes,” he said.