Harambee Stars defender Collins Sichenje has expressed his delight after making a successful debut for Charlton Athletic in a hard-fought draw against Southampton on Saturday evening.
The Kenyan international, who recently joined the English side from Serbian club Vojvodina played a pivotal role in securing what he described as a brilliant point on the road, marking his first appearance in English football with a composed performance at centreback.
Reflecting on the milestone, Sichenje noted the high energy of the match but remained confident in his transition to the English game.
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Harambee Stars defender Collins Sichenje delighted after shining in Charlton Athletic debut
“It feels amazing to be on the pitch and help the team to get very big point for us so it’s a step to keep working and yeah to focus on Tuesday game. The game is intense, it was nice for me. I always believe in my qualities and it was good opportunity to show and yeah do the right things, the basics,” he stated.
The defender was tasked with containing some of the Championship’s most dangerous attackers, including winger Leo Sienza. Undeterred by the challenge, Sichenje emphasized his self-belief.
“For me, I always believe in my qualities and I know I can defend anyone so I wasn’t afraid and I was like yeah, if he comes, I go. I believe in myself, so it was also good opportunity for me to show like my qualities in defending and happily I did well,” Sichenje added.
The match reached a fever pitch when Sunny K scored a dramatic equalizer, sparked by a prediction from Sichenje himself.
The defender joined the jubilant celebrations in front of the traveling supporters, who have already dedicated a chant to him.
“To be honest I love it because I’ve been telling Sunny he will score and eventually he scored today and it was a good moment for us. I like the song and I hope they’re going to sing more of this and I’m going to give them also joy and help the team,” he remarked.
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Beyond the stadium, Sichenje has felt the immense backing from fans back home in Kenya. He credited this support as a primary motivator for his hunger to succeed at the highest level.
“It means a lot for me and it’s opportunity for me to work even more harder because they believe in me. So I believe in myself and I must do everything to achieve my success and I’m hungry every day. This is what I’m thinking and it’s step by step,” he said.
With a quick turnaround before a trip to West Brom on Tuesday, Sichenje is already looking ahead hoping that this will be the start of something amazing in his career.
