Tranmere Rovers Coach on Big Concern That Led to Zech Obiero’s Substitution Despite Influential Debut

Tranmere Rovers coach Andy Crosby has opened up on why he did not let Harambee Stars prospect Zech finish the game despite a great show on his debut on Saturday.

Obiero was among new signings given their debuts by Crosby as his side played away to Gillingham, a game they lost 2-1, to extend their losing streak to six matches on the bounce.

The Kenya U20 star lasted 71 minutes before being taken off and he had a decent game although it was not enough to guide his team to victory on the road.

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Gillingham took the lead in the 25th minute when Ronan Hale volleyed home and he doubled his side’s advantage in the 64th minute when he headed home from a corner.

Charlie Whitaker pulled one back for Rovers in the 77th minute, the goal coming six minutes after Obiero had been taken off, and Crosby has weighed in on why he could not take a risk by playing the Kenyan for 90 minutes.

“I have got three players in [James] Plant, Obiero, [Stephen] Negru who haven’t played competitive football since the end of December, start of January so if I want to put their long-term health at risk, I would [have] kept them on the pitch and crossed my fingers,” Crosby told the club’s media channel.

Crosby feels Obiero, who had not played a match since January 1 while still at Leyton Orient, needs to be protected to avoid the risk of injuries when he already has up to 10 players in the treatment room.

“When you got 10 injuries, the last thing I would do is I do not want to make it any harder the situation we find ourselves in from an injury point so I think it was really the sensible thing to do and the guys who came on the pitch influenced the game straight away,” he added.

Obiero will be looking to make his home debut when Rovers host Crawley Town in their next match on Saturday February 14.