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Kusaba has opened up on the differences between Kenyan and Japanese football, having played six times for City Stars since finally completing the transfer in January.
Nairobi City Stars' Japanese striker Yuto Kusaba has provided valuable insights into the differences between football in Kenya and his native Japan, following his experience playing in the Kenyan Premier League with City Stars.
Kusaba's football journey began in Japan, where he played for various lower-tier sides including St. Andrews FC, Momoyama Gakuin University, and FC Basara Hyogo in the Kansai Soccer League from 2019 to 2023.
His path took a turn when he traveled to Kenya as a volunteer for an NGO in Embu, where he joined fourth-tier side FC Zenshin. In August 2023, Kusaba made the move to Nairobi City Stars, eager to continue his football career in Kenya.
However, Kusaba encountered challenges with international transfer guidelines upon his arrival in Kenya, which initially prevented him from participating in the Kenyan top flight league.
Despite this setback, he completed his registration during the mid-transfer window in January 2024 and made his debut for City Stars on February 4th against Shabana FC, followed by scoring his maiden Kenyan Premier League goal against Muranga SEAL on April 13th.
Reflecting on his journey, Kusaba admitted to feeling anxious during the waiting period but viewed it as an opportunity for personal growth and improvement as a player.
Speaking on NTV's Sport On, he stated, "I was really anxious but I was practicing always waiting for the issues to be cleared as I was really looking forward to joining the team."
Kusaba highlighted the differences between football in Kenya and Japan, noting the high intensity and physicality of the game in Kenya compared to the emphasis on passing and movement in Japanese football.
He acknowledged the abundance of talent and quality players in Kenya, which presents an opportunity for him to enhance his skills and contribute to Nairobi City Stars' success.
“The intensity is high. There is a lot of talent and some good players, so it is good for me to be here and work on my game.”
“In Japan, the football is more about passing and moving while in Kenya, football is more physical, and people rely on their physicality.
“The level of infrastructure is obviously not as good as Japan’s but the environment is conducive enough for me to play my best football.
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Nairobi City Stars CEO Patrick Korir shed light on the challenges faced during Kusaba's transfer process, attributing the delay in his debut to issues with international transfer certification.
Korir explained the meticulous process involved in ensuring Kusaba's eligibility to play in the Kenyan Premier League, emphasizing the club's commitment to compliance with regulations.
“Remember he was playing in Japan before moving to Embu and as long as you are crossing federations, there has to be an international transfer certificate issued.
“ For some reason, that never happened, so the international transfer guidelines were never followed for him to play in Embu in the first place.
“On the last day of the international transfer window, when we wanted to transfer him, we went to the system and said we are moving him from Div 2 to the Premier League.
“However, along that path, it was discovered that his registration actually sat in Japan, which means we needed to have done an international transfer in the first place.
“It was two days after that window was shut, which was on the 21st of September, which means we had to wait until the next window until the 1st of January.”“At some point he had to go back home but came back in December, so he had a whole month of training, then the window opened and he got his transfer.”
As Kusaba continues his football journey in Kenya, his insights provide valuable perspectives on the global nature of the sport and the opportunities it presents for players to experience diverse playing styles and cultures.
With determination and perseverance, Kusaba aims to make a significant impact on Nairobi City Stars and contribute to the growth of football in Kenya.
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