Charlton Athletic coach Nathan Jones has explained his decision to drop Kenya international defender Collins Sichenje from his squad for the EFL Championship fixture against Birmingham City on Saturday.

The Addicks hosted Birmingham at the Valley and won the fixture 1-0 in the second half after Charlie Kelman scored in the 74th minute.

However, during the fixture, Kenya defender Sichenje was missing from the matchday squad despite his recent involvement for the team. Discussing why Sichenje missed out, Jones said it was a precaution measure to leave the player out.

Sichenje was victim of circumstance

“They [Burke and Berry] picked up muscular injuries. We’re trying to manage it,” Jones told the media on Saturday as per London World.

“We have an excellent environment. [Collins] Sichenje is the unfortunate one. Burke has had some problems this year and we have got to get to the bottom of that. Berry hadn’t played much and then picked up something.

“Sichenje was a victim of circumstance. He played 90 minutes [v Southampton]. We put him on for the West Brom game, Lloyd [Jones] went down after 20 odd minutes.

“We had to play him, put him back out. Burke went down after 11 minutes [v Wrexham], so we had to play him. Then he picked up something from there,” he added on the circumstances leading to Sichenje’s injury.”

Sichenje debuted against Southampton

Sichenje made his debut for Charlton in the 1-1 draw against Southampton, later featured against West Bromwich Albion, before facing Wrexham.

Born in Butere, Kenya, Sichenje started his career with Green Commandos before moving to Kenyan Premier League side AFC Leopards in September 2019.

Following a brief spell in Greece with PAOK B, the centre-back returned to AFC Leopards before joining Swedish top-flight side AIK in 2022.

After spending the 2023-24 campaign on loan with Finnish outfit KuPS Kuopio, he joined FK Vojvodina on an initial six-month loan, with the move made permanent in September 2024 following an impressive start to life in Serbia.

Sichenje has represented Kenya eight times to date, having made his debut in a 1-0 win over South Sudan in March 2021.

Sichenje Injury Update: Major Reason He Missed Charlton Clash

Charlton Athletic head coach Nathan Jones has explained why Kenya international defender Sichenje was left out of the matchday squad during their EFL Championship fixture against Birmingham City on Saturday.

Charlton hosted Birmingham City at The Valley and secured a narrow 1–0 victory thanks to a second-half strike from Charlie Kelman in the 74th minute. The goal proved decisive in a tightly contested match and helped the Addicks collect an important three points.

However, the absence of Sichenje from the squad drew attention from fans and observers, especially after the Kenyan defender had recently featured in several matches for the club.

Why Sichenje missed the Birmingham clash

Speaking after the game, Charlton manager Nathan Jones clarified that the decision to leave Sichenje out of the squad was mainly precautionary.

The coach revealed that several players in the team had recently suffered muscular injuries, forcing the technical staff to carefully manage the workload of certain players in order to avoid further problems.

According to Jones, the Kenyan defender became what he described as “a victim of circumstance” due to the difficult injury situation within the squad.

“They [Burke and Berry] picked up muscular injuries. We’re trying to manage it,” Jones explained in comments reported by London World.

The Charlton coach noted that the club has been working to maintain a strong medical and training environment to help players recover and stay fit during the demanding Championship schedule.

Injury concerns in the Charlton squad

Jones further explained that injuries to other defenders had increased the pressure on the available players, including Sichenje.

“We have an excellent environment. Collins Sichenje is the unfortunate one. Burke has had some problems this year and we have got to get to the bottom of that,” Jones said.

The coach added that another player, Berry, had not played regularly before suffering a muscular issue shortly after returning to action.

As a result, Sichenje had to play extended minutes during several matches in quick succession, which increased the risk of injury.

Heavy workload for the Kenyan defender

Jones detailed how the Kenyan international was forced to play more minutes than initially planned due to injuries affecting other defenders in the squad.

“Sichenje was a victim of circumstance. He played 90 minutes against Southampton,” Jones said.

The coach also explained that the defender had to be reintroduced into the lineup during the match against West Bromwich Albion after Lloyd Jones suffered an injury early in the game.

“We had to play him and put him back out,” he continued.

Later, during another match against Wrexham, another defensive injury meant Sichenje was again required to step in and help the team.

“Burke went down after 11 minutes, so we had to play him. Then he picked up something from there,” Jones added.

Because of this demanding run of matches, the coaching staff opted to rest the Kenyan defender against Birmingham City to avoid aggravating the issue.

Sichenje’s recent debut for Charlton

Before missing the Birmingham clash, Sichenje had recently made his debut for Charlton Athletic in a 1–1 draw against Southampton.

The Kenyan defender followed up that appearance with another outing against West Bromwich Albion and later featured in the match against Wrexham.

His performances in those matches showed promise as he continues to settle into English football.

Journey from Kenya to European football

Born in Butere, Kenya, Sichenje began his football journey with local club Green Commandos before moving to Kenyan Premier League side AFC Leopards in September 2019.

His performances in Kenya quickly attracted attention and opened the door for opportunities abroad.

The defender later had a brief spell in Greece with PAOK B before returning to AFC Leopards to continue his development.

In 2022, Sichenje made a move to Swedish top-flight side AIK, marking another important step in his growing professional career.

During the 2023–24 season, the defender spent time on loan with Finnish club KuPS Kuopio, gaining valuable experience in European competitions.

He later joined Serbian club FK Vojvodina on an initial six-month loan. After impressing during his time there, the move was made permanent in September 2024.

International career with Kenya

At international level, Sichenje has represented the Kenya national team eight times.

He made his debut for the Harambee Stars in March 2021 during a 1–0 victory over South Sudan.

Since then, the defender has remained part of the national team setup and is considered one of the promising defensive talents in Kenyan football.

As Charlton Athletic continue their Championship campaign, the club will hope Sichenje returns to full fitness soon and continues his development in English football.