St. George's Odongokara Robert has landed a last minute invitation for Cecafa
Cranes first choice goal keeper Denis Onyango has been ruled out of this year’s Cecafa Senior Challenge due in Dar es Salaam city this coming weekend.
Onyango’s passport could not be returned on time after it was submitted to the South African government for a work permit. Onyango recently joined Mamelodi Sundowns FC of South Africa. Abby Dhaira now travels as the team’s first goal keeper. The federation technical committee has also opted for the St. George (Ethiopia) custodian Robert Odongokara to join the squad.
An invitation has this morning been sent to the Ethiopian federation seeking the release of Odongokara for the Cranes duty. Vice President in charge of Technical matters, Livingstone Kyambadde heads the Ugandan delegation. Sula Matovu, Isaac Isinde, Serumaga Mike and Odongokara are set to connect to Dar es salaam straight from Ethiopia.
The travelling team includes Abby Dhaira, Ali Kimera, Andy Mwesigwa, Masaba Simeon, Kavuma Habib, Walusimbi Godfrey, Okwi Emmanuel and Wagaluka Dan. Others include Omony Brian, Ochan Patrick, Sentongo Robert, Olopya Moses Mawejje Tonny and Mutyaba Mike.
FUFA President Lawrence Mulindwa consults his executive members before one of their retreat sessions at Katomi Kingdom Resort Hotel
The two day retreat for the FUFA Executive Committee at Katomi Kingdom Resort Hotel wound up on Sunday evening with the appointment of 84 individuals to different standing committees of the Federation.
The exercise was conducted during an executive committee meeting held shortly after the official closure of the retreat by the FA President Lawrence Mulindwa. The members had about four hours of intensive deliberations before a final list was agreed on.
The President said the appointments take immediate effect and urged the new office bearers to dedicate enough time towards their responsibilities. A total of sixteen (16) committees were named leaving out all the judicial bodies that would be named shortly. “Let’s continue making some consultations on the judicial bodies to avoid bringing on board non committal individuals” Mulindwa told his executive.
Kimuli ANthony (Finance)Ogwel Patrick (Youth)Lwere Sam (Security)
FIFA certified administration instructor Justus Mugisha was named chairperson of the FUFA Licensing Board deputized by Balenzi Fred. Both Mugisha and Balenzi served in the FUFA executive committee before.
Other members on this committee include Mugoye Darius (secretary),
Stone Kyambadde (Technical)Rogers Mulindwa (Media and Public Relations)
Tomusange Ali andex-international player Sam Kabugo. A new committee named, FUFA Member Associations
Isa Magoola (Competitions)Amin Bbosa (Sec Security)
Development Committee will be chaired by Eng. Moses Magogo with Ex-international player Paul Ssali as the vice chairperson. Unlike others with only five members, this committee has nine members. These include Tamale Haruna, Okello Hannington, Hajji Badru Ssekabira, Higenyi Paul, Mutyaba Joseph, Mutebwa Musa and Kabwimukya George.
Mike Leti (Players' Status)Sam Mpima (Sec Marketing)
Kampala’s newly appointed zonal chairperson, Hamid Juma heads the Futsal Committee with Nkumba University Sports Lecturer Patrick Ssebuliba and Mutabaazi Deo as his vice chairperson and secretary respectively. Dr Ssekajugo James was retained as head of the Sports Medicine Committee as Letti Mike moves from technical to head the players’ status committee. Ssendyowa Abbas remains in charge of the referees standing committee but retired FIFA referee Mohammad Ssegonga becomes a committee member.
Kalibbala Chris maintains his portfolio as chairperson of the Women committee and Mariam Kaliga takes the deputy’s seat. Sserwadda Meddie is the committee secretary. Others that retained their positions as committee chairpersons include Kimuli Anthony (Finance), Byamukama Rogers (Marketing and sponsorship), Ogwel Patrick (Youth), Mulindwa Rogers (Media and Public Relations), Lwere Sam (Security) and Joseph Mwanje (Protocol). Livingstone Kyambadde was also retained as technical committee head but will now be deputized by new entrant and proline FC Director Mujib Kasule.
Isa Magoola will be in charge of the competition committee. Decolas Kiiza was named to replace Eng. Moses Magogo as the Competitions Committee new secretary. Bukedde Sports Editor, Kato Kawuma who formerly served as a member of the media committee becomes committee vice chairperson. Click here for the detailed standing committees lists
Executive committee members pose for a group photograph at the end of the retreat
Ugandan FA President Lawrence Mulindwa has called upon his executive committee members to dedicate more time towards football development programs and always step forward to defend the federation whenever its image gets tarnished by detractors.
FA president Lawrence Mulindwa speaking at the closure of the retreat on Sundaay
He was speaking at the closing of the two day retreat attended by all the 21 Executive members at Katomi Kingdom Resort Hotel, Garuga Sunday afternoon. Mulindwa said he had a lot of considerations in selecting his new executive and warned against betrayal in service delivery.
He echoed the importance of this retreat and said the acquired knowledge must be used in improving the federation services across the nation. “It’s now time to work and the cancer of more talk and less work must come to an end”, the FA President advised his team.
In his presentation, newly appointed Vice President in charge of the Uganda Super League (USL) Mujib Kasule said he was impressed with the proceedings during the retreat. “When still out of FUFA , we would be told that during such FUFA meetings members make no meaningful deliberations but what I have seen here gives me more strength to work harder myself” Kasule confessed to his colleagues. He further made stunning revelation when he made a flash back into the past football administration. “In 2004, the Cranes team left for Ethiopian with only U$ 75 (about UG Shs. 120.000 of that time) that was given to Mr. Kalibbala who led the delegation” he confessed, adding, ‘the situation has since changed so much’. Kasule was part of the squad in Addis Ababa for the Cecafa senior challenge cup. “With such treatment, we did not even qualify out of group stages” Kasule said.
The vice presidents were tasked to avail the summaries of their presentations to the secretariat after which a joint ‘Katomi Resort Document’ would be produced to form the basis of the committee operations for the next two years. This joint working document will be out next week.
FUFA president Lawrence Mulindwa opening up the retreat at Katomi Kingdom Resort Hotel this Saturday
The two day retreat for the FUFA Executive committee members has this Saturday morning opened here at Katomi Kingdom Resort Hotel, Garuga along the shores of Lake Victoria, about 30 miles away from Kampala City.
The retreat has attracted all the 21 members that constitute the current executive committee. In his opening remarks, FUFA president Lawrence Mulindwa congratulated the new members that had made it to the Executive committee in a reshuffle made last month.
He outlined the objectives of this two day retreat and urged member to be open in all their deliberations. “We are not here for a picnic but a bigger mission aimed at building a committed
FUFA Vice Presidents, Moses Magogo, Mujib Kasule and Patrick Ogwel at the retreat
group of football administrators whose operations are based on team work” said the FA president.He also added that the retreat targeted improving service delivery by his executive.
About the changes recently made in his executive, Mulindwa called upon those relieved of their duties not to ‘fight’ the federation but continue supporting the game from their respective stations. “Those relieved of executive committee duties were not dumped, we can still deploy them elsewhere”, he stressed.
He cited an example of his former Vice president in charge of youth programs Justus Mugisha who has since remained the country’s representative to the Cecafa regional body. Mugisha was also sent to FIFA for training and he is now a certified FIFA administration instructor. Mulindwa further pointed out Balenzi Fred who after the 2009 reshuffle was sent abroad for further training in management of the artificial turf. “He is now doing us a good job at Njeru Technical centre” Mulindwa told his executive.
FUFA Executive committee members attending the retreat
During the two day stay here, all the seven vice presidents will make some presentation to the rest of the participants. Moses Magogo will take the members through issues related to football administration, Mujib Kasule (Uganda Super League), Kalibbala Chris (Women football development), Kimuli Anthony (Finance regulation and management) and Kyambadde Livingstone (technical challenges).
Other presenters will include Patrick Ogwel (Youth development), Rogers Byamukama (Marketing) and the FIFA Development instructor Justus Mugisha among others. The retreat closes Sunday afternoon. (Posted by Rogers Mulindwa-Head of Communications, FUFA)
Coach Bobby Williamson of Uganda CranesAndy Mwesigwa and Vincent Kayizzi are both expected in Dar es salaam, Tanzania
The Council of East and Central Africa Football Association (CECAFA) has released the fixtures for this year’s senior challenge cup parading the Uganda Cranes against long time rivals Zanzibar in the Group B opening match on November 25.
The Cranes game to be played at 4pm in the National stadium of Dar es salaam will follow an earlier fixture between Burundi and Somalia at 2pm on the same ground. The official opening ceremony is slated for Saturday November 26 where hosts Tanzania take on Rwanda in an anticipated thriller at 4pm.
While releasing the fixtures at Cecafa head offices in Nairobi this Wednesday afternoon, Musonye urged the teams to respect the fixture and avoid late coming. “We shall be very strict with time management, the games are live on super sport and we don’t want to let down our partners” Musonye said. He added that the top two teams from each group and the best two losers from all the three groups will qualify to the quarter finals. Below is the detailed fixture.
Simba Sc celebrating after lifting the 2010-20111 Bell Uganda Cup.
The Federation Competitions Committee has released the program for the 2011/2012 Bell sponsored Uganda Cup.
The ongoing registration of all participating teams closes on November 25 and the round of preliminaries runs between the same date and December 15. A statement issued by Decolas Kiiza, on behalf of the committee further indicates that the finals of this edition would be played on May 26 next year.
The tournament is compulsory for all clubs featuring in the Uganda Super League (USL) and the FUFA Big League. It is also mandatory for the Regional League clubs to participate from the preliminary stage.
The draws for the round of 64 and 32 is set for December 15 and the round of 64 matches be played between 29-31 December this year.
Between February 1-6 next year, the round of 32 matches will be played and the draws for the round of 16 be conducted on February 9. February 27 to March 4 are gazetted days for the round of 16 matches. The 8 clubs that will make it into the quarter finals will have their matches played between April 5-8.
The semi finals will be played on a home and away basis with the first leg scheduled for April 27-28 and the second leg for May 11-12. The registration process will require among others, a payment of a non refundable fee of Shs. 200.000 for USL, Big League and non League clubs. Regional League, First Division and Second Division League clubs will only pay Shs. 50.000.
(Issued by Rogers Mulindwa-Head of Communications, FUFA)
The National She Kobs team has landed an invitation for a friendly match against Egypt in Cairo on
Nampijja Memory (Left) in action during the Inter regional women competitions at Kisubi in 2010. Nampijja is one of the players due to be summoned for training.
December 14.
FUFA Technical Director Asuman Lubowa standing in for the CEO Edgar Watson currently in Morocco confirmed receiving the invitation from Cairo. “They proposed to us two dates and we opted for December 14” Lubowa said.
Uganda confirmed participation in the 8th CAF Africa Women Championship and was drawn against DR Congo in the preliminary round. Their first leg match is scheduled for the weekend of January 13-15 2012 in Kampala.
Commenting about the friendly match against Egypt, National team coach Majidah Nantanda said it was vital in the team’s preparations for the DR Congo game. “It’s a big opportunity which we have to utilize” said the former She Kobs star player. Nantanda however added that they were yet to receive the final communication from Cairo in response to what Lubowa sent.
She said her technical desk had listed 40 players who were due to receive invitations for training starting December 1. The venue for the training would be known at a later date. The list has Sharlote Binsiima , Doreen Katusiime (Western), Zahara Uthman (West Nile), Fatuma Matovu, Shamim Nantege, Gladyse Nakitto, Ritah Nakirijja, Sylvia Nagawa, Hadijja Nampijja, Habiba Namarwa, Annet Nanyonga and Christine Nambirige all from Kampala District.
Kivumbi Ritah (St Marys Kitende) is a naturally well talented striker. She scored against Rwanda in Kampala in 2009 for the U20 team. Her inclusion on the team may yield results for She Kobs.
Others include Agnes Namakula, Viola Nambi, Rita Kivumbi, Joyce Mwebaza (St. Marys Kitende), Christine Wanyama, Stella Nassuna, Fatuma Luwedde, Shakira Nalwoga, Cissy Adong, Memory Nampijja, Resty Kayongo, Doreen Apolot and Betty Nansubuga from Buganda region.
Four other players have been sported from Masaka SS.They include Dorothy Nakato, Mary Babirye, Fatuma Nandawula and Naome Nagaddya. Zainah Namukasa, Aidah Namuyomba, Halimah Natoli and Susan Mukyala were drawn from the eastern region.
The group also has Brenda Namara (Makerere University), Nacy Akello, Sharon Mirembe (Edgars Youth Academy), Betty Namataka (Mbale Comprehensive SS), Sandra Nabweteme, Shadia Nandawula and Phiona Katiti (Kawempe Muslim SS).
JDC chairperson Richard Omongole (right) and Mujib Kasule in a meeting with the FUFA president (not in picture) over the weekend.
The Jinja Declaration Committee (JDC) will on Thursday November 17 start their visits to all clubs playing in the Uganda Super League to get acquainted with the challenges they face in relation to the League management. The committee targets top executive committee members of the clubs.
The resolution was reached over the weekend in a meeting with the Federation president Lawrence Mulindwa at his offices in Mengo. JDC chairman Richard Omongole, Mujib Kasule, Isa Magoola and Moses Magogo attended the meeting.
The fifth member Jimmy Ebil Ssegawa who is also the USL Chief Executive Officer did not show up.Independent sources have since alleged that Ssegawa was under instructions by former committee member and USL Board chairman Kavuma Kabenge not to attend. Officials from 13 out of the 15 clubs playing under USL recently unanimously threw Kabenge out of the JDC on grounds of inefficiency.
The meeting held about two weeks ago and attended by Mr. Ashford Mamelodi, the FIFA Development officer replaced Kabenge with newly appointed FUFA Vice President in charge of USL Mujib Kasule.
(JDC chairman, Richard Omongole shakes hands with FUFA president Lawrence Mulindwa after the meeting)
The committee chairperson, Richard Omongole said they had learnt of the ongoing injustice to some clubs by the USL officials and that the clubs had got divided into two groups basing on alleged patronage. “There are those being harassed for their respect to FUFA while others are getting rewards for their disrespect to the Federation” Omongole told the weekend meeting.
The meeting was also shocked to learn that some clubs including Bidco FC, Hoima, Bunamwaya SC, Proline and Victors FC among others had not even been paid the sponsorship money they are entitled for. Other clubs have already got part of the Shs.68m earmarked for each club this season. Of this amount, Shs.50m comes from Super Sport Television and Shs.18m from Bell.
These among many others were the basis for the committee’s resolution to embark on club visits in order to assess the situation and the realities behind these allegations. The Committee is also expected to meet the USL officials as part of their exercise.
Kasule told the Communications Department last evening that arrangements had already been finalized to meet URA, Express and KCC officials between Thursday and Friday this week. “We arrange to meet the top executive members of each club separately”, said Kasule. He further added that the detailed program would be released shortly.
FUFA president Lawrence Mulindwa said the committee had been given up to November 30 to conclude the exercise and report back their findings to FUFA Executive committee for appropriate actions.
(Posted by Rogers Mulindwa-Head of Communications, FUFA)
Both Coach Bobby Williamson and Rogers Mulindwa will be in Dar es salaam but on different duties
The Council of East and Central Africa Football Association (CECAFA) has this Monday released a list of 20 people who will constitute the delegation of officials travelling to Dar es salaam for this year’s Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup.
The delegation will be headed by the regional body President Eng Leodgar Tenga who also doubles as the President of the Tanzanian Federation.
In Uganda, Rogers Mulindwa and retired referee Charles Masembe will be part of the team. Mulindwa, the FUFA spokesperson heads the Cecafa Media committee while Masembe goes as the CAF Referees Committee representative.
In a statement issued by the Cecafa General Secretary Nicholas Musonye, the members will be tasked to ensure the smooth running of the two weeks tournament that will attract eleven senior teams and one guest team.Malawi is the only guest team invited this eyar.
Former Harambee Stars head coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee and retired referee Robert Anangwe are the two officials from neighbours Kenya while Tariq Atta and Osama Hassan have been selected from Sudan. Dr. Charles Mugemana from Rwanda will head the medical team.
Others are Abdiqan Saeed Arab, Amir Hassan (Somalia), Sheferew Eshetu (Ethiopia), Berhane Araya and Tesefaye Gabreyesus (Eritrea), Zam Ali, Ali Ferej Tamin (Zanzibar), Benard Mfubusa (Burundi), Sulaiman Hassan Waberi and Ali Kamil from Djibouti. The host federation of Tanzania will be represented by their technical Director Sunday Kayuni and Authman Nyamlani the FA marketing and Finance Manager.
The tournament kicks off on November 26 to December 10. The Uganda Cranes who lost their 2010 campaign to hosts Tanzania in the semi finals have already confirmed participation.
Denis Onyango guided the Cranes to a 2nd place by saving three spot kicks
The Uganda Cranes put up a competitive fight for the LG cup overall winner’s prize money of 60.000 US Dollars but narrowly lost it to Cameroon’s indomitable Lions at the last minute on a goal difference.
Uganda finished second and returns home with a trophy and 30.000 US Dollars in prize (about UG Shs.78m) after hosts Morocco failed to beat Cameroon in the last game.
Morocco struggled to avoid a second loss in the normal time when Nordin Amrabat scored an equalizer in the 90th minute. Samuel E’tto had earlier scored for the West Africans. The result forced the game into spot kicks to decide the winner which the hosts lost 4-2.
If Cameroon had lost the game, Uganda would have emerged champions of this FIFA sanctioned LG cup. This is however the furthest, Uganda has ever gone in this tournament. Both Cameroon and Uganda tied at 5 points having won their first engagements. Cameroon beat Sudan 3-1 while Uganda humiliated the hosts with a 1-0 win. Every direct win fetched the team 3points but the winner of the extended spot kicks only got 2 points, leaving 1 point for the opposite team in an appreciation of their effort to force the game into a draw.
Cranes’ goal keeper Denis Onyango was the team’s heroic player when he saved three penalties and scored a winner as Uganda dumped Sudan 3-2 to push them into the 4th position. The match had ended 0-0 in the normal time.
Meanwhile Moses Oloya returned to Vietnam this Monday morning leaving the rest of the team in Marrakesh city. The rest of the team leaves Morocco on Tuesday to spend a night in Istanbul, Turkey before connecting to Entebbe. According to their travel details, the team arrives Wednesday night around 2:00am.
CEO, Edgar Watson watched the game and says the LG Cup was a big opportunity for Uganda
Cranes goal keeper Denis Onyango turned a heroe Sunday evening when he saved three penalties and converted a winner as Uganda dumped CAN bound Sudan 3-2 in their last LG Cup match in Morocco.
The 90 minutes had ended in a goalless draw with both teams putting several obvious chances to waste. Defenders Isaac Isinde and Walusimbi Godfrey converted their penalties as strikers Emmanuel Okwi and Moses Oloya wasted their chances. Okwi’s shot hit the bar while Oloya had his turn well saved by the Sudanese goal keeper.
It was after the two misses that the Sundown’s custodian, Onyango stepped forward to convert Uganda’s fifth chance that earned the Cranes a 3-2 win.
FUFA CEO, Edgar Watson who traveled with the team to Morocco said the tournament had provided an opportunity for Uganda to play two respectable teams, Morocco and Sudan. Edgar further added that the Cranes had played well in both games.
The results put Uganda at the top of the Four-Nation tournament but before Cameroon played hosts Morocco in their last game later in the night. The winner of this tournament takes home U$ 60.000. The first runners up gets U$ 30.000 while the third and the fourth teams return home with U$ 20.000 and U$ 10.000 respectively.
Cranes’ team Doctor, Kisolo Ronald has confirmed that Henry Kalungi will be ruled out of today’s clash against Sudan in the ongoing LG Cup in Marrakesh City, Morocco.
Coach Bobby Williamson will be targeting both the trophy and cash when his side takes on Sudan in today's last game
The Proline FC star player limped off the pitch in the 64 minute of the opening match against hosts, Morocco on Friday night. He was replaced by Tonny Mawejje who maintained a good command of the position till the last whistle. Coach Bobby Williamson is likely to have no big changes from his starting line up . Sudan is the only country within the Cecafa region that qualified for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations finals slated for early January in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
Kalungi was playing his first game in the national colours with the senior team and sources allege that the injury may keep him out of action for two weeks. Uganda edged Morocco 1-0 to stand second on the table of the four nations with 4 points. Cameroon who beat Sudan 3-1 are topping the group with six points, Sudan has one point while the hosts trail with no point so far.
The organizer award three points for every win, one point for a draw and one point for each goal scored.If Uganda beats Sudan and Morocco settles for a draw with Cameroon or Morocco wins, then Uganda will be the automatic winners of the U$ 60.000 prize money for the first place. The crowning and award ceremony will be this Sunday shortly after the last game.
BRFA Joseph Mwanje being consulted by members shortly after the meeting on Saturday
Buganda Regional Football Association Executive (BRFA) committee sitting this Saturday at FUFA headquarters in Mengo has fixed November 26 as the kick off date for the Regional League.
The committee chaired by its head and FUFA zone 13 chairperson Joseph Mwanje has also produced a tentative fixture for the 18 clubs set to participate in the league.
The Federation of Uganda created the regional leagues as promotional league into the big league.
The committee has categorized the teams into two groups named after the famous seasonal rivers in the region of Katonga and Sezibwa. Katonga group will comprise teams from the FUFA zone 7 and 8. These include Bwala, Kinoni, Iodi, Kasensero, Lukaya, Banaansi, Nkumba, Redcross and Katabi FC.
Sezibwa Group covers FUFA zone 12 and 13. The teams here include Luwero Utd, Young Simba, Agape, Kiwoko, UCU, Seeta Utd, Mpooma, Bugerere/Lweza and Mukono United. The regional chairperson, Joseph Mwanje urged the teams to be focused since this was the only route into the Super Division.
Regional Competitions committee chairperson, Michael Kakande called for discipline among the players and their officials.In some of the opening matches, UCU hosts Bugerere on Saturday while Nkumba University hosts Kinoni on Saturday November 26.
Mike Sseumaga shakes hands with President Yoweri Museveni in Namboole last month. He scored Uganda's crucial goal that earned the Cranes a win over LG Cup hosts Morocco last night
The Uganda Cranes had a perfect start by shocking LG Cup hosts Morocco with a 1-0 victory in the four Nations official opening match played under floodlights last night.
St. George FC player Mike Sserumaga struck in the 47 minute after both teams had played to a goalless first half. Hosts Morocco went into the game as favourites but left shocked after the 90 minutes. Earlier on, West African giants, Cameroon had humbled Sudan 3-1 in a one-sided game.
Morocco who had all their professional players on board including Youssouf Hadji, Marouane Chamakh and Ousamma Assaidin among others created more chances at Uganda’s goal mouths but all their efforts got frustrated by an experienced goalkeeper Denis onyango.
Onyango came in for Abby Dhaira who had been landed a starter’s chance but limped off in the 3rd minute after he was involved in a collusion with his defenders and two Moroccan strikers. Debutant Henry Kalungi had a perfect game until late in the second half when he was substituted after pulling a muscle in the thigh.
Coach Bobby Williamson commended his players after the crucial match and attributed the win to good team work. “The team played as a unit and I am impressed with the results”, said the Scottish tactician. He also added, “We had all the respect for the home team and they did their best but our side was very focused”. Uganda will now play Sudan on Sunday before Morocco takes on Cameroon. The Cranes starting line up had Abby Dhaira (Onyanga Denis,3′), Masaba Simeon, Walusimbi Geoffrey, Isaac Isinde, Kalungi Henry, Wasswa Hassan, Kayizzi vincent, Ochan Patrick, Serumaga Mike, Umony Brian and Kavuma Habib.
Many a Ugandan has expressed untold desire to consume professional football but how many really understand the concept!
To some, when clubs run the league then that is professional football and my response is that the most profitable and watched league in the world is the German Bundesliga which is run by the DFB (The Germany Football Association)
To others Professional football is TV football while many think when sponsors bring in money then it is professional football. I also know a group who think that when players are playing in another country then it is professional football, Not at all and I say that Yuda Mugalu is a Ugandan Amateur player in DR Congo
So what is the concept that many people have grappled with but do to really understand?
Professional Football is the sale of football products and services for a profit. This implies that the proceeds from the sales are more than the expenses. Every human resource in the professional football cycle should be performing his role at a fee. The club owners are business people interested in making money using football clubs, the players, the coaches, the administrators, the sponsors should all be looking at making their money from the fans using their routine and numbers
Football products include players, replica jerseys, merchandise and memorabilia, football club/team branded day-to-day useable products etc while the services include match tickets, subscription fees for TV Channels, etc that give the fans (Customers) a cause to spend their hard earned money onto their club.
In summary, Professional Football is about numbers in the stadium and on the multimedia.
BIDCO Players being chased
With the introduction of the Professional Club Football Concept in Uganda, the overall objective was to overhaul the football industry and open another page; unfortunately, we are stack in the reverse gear and pressing the accelerator harder than Suzan Muwonge. The otherwise wonderful project has been hijacked by self-seekers who do not understand any iota of the professional football concept. The USL project is in free-fall and to some of us who toiled with the introduction of the idea; we shall have been proven wrong by the conservatives who thought otherwise.
The project that should have collected professionals in the areas of Football (technically), Marketing, PR, Legal, Finance, Medicine, ICT, Media, etc has instead been used as a collection of all sorts of hang-around among others renown FUFA critics and/or those rejected by FUFA for their football crimes and incompetence
The club officials at USL have left huge human, time and financial resource vacuums at their respective clubs and no wonder the clubs of the active USL Club officials are experiencing sporting and non-sporting stunted growth
The current overall outlook of personnel and ideologies setup of the USL is a football political party with one agenda of overtaking power at Mengo other than professionalization of the league. On top of lack of the technical know-how, the USL team salvate at any opportunity to disagree with FUFA, position the mortars and LMG’s for war consequently abandoning the enormous duty of creating professional outfits called clubs. In the process, they have exposed their lack of knowledge of football rules by contesting the basic principles of association football. It is unfortunate but hitherto, who would have known that these people with a huge legal background do not understand basic football laws!
With the coincidence of sponsorship boom into league football, the resources were found to hire renowned spin doctors (self-styled media gurus who know nothing about professional football) to create an artificial era. For how long were they going to tell the world that black is white? Like Ashford Mamelodi put it, DSTV works with numbers and the reason they were in Kenya and not Ugandan was about the number of decoders bought and paid for monthly by subscribers, the very reason they have come to Football, Cricket and Rugby at the same time in Uganda. This has nothing to do with individuals and nothing to do with who is running those sports. Instead with the status quo they will not stay long
Unresolved cases of Hooliganism at USL matches
So what achievements are we talking about two years down the road? In fact the situation that is being swept under the carpet is worse than ever. The frequency of fixture changes, the loss of identity of home grounds, the kick-off times, the lack of judicial mechanism to enforce rules, the absolute and unquestioned powers of and lack of fair play by organizers who are coming from competing clubs, and transparency in monies meant for all clubs, patronage of unqualified clubs coupled with underhand dismissal of legitimate clubs, the crumbling club structures, the poor quality of football etc
Then what is the way forward; Institutions should be created ahead of individuals and should be given the chance to work. Let the clubs create a USL board comprised of a fine mixture of integrity, moral, business etiquette and football who come from outside the clubs/FUFA and let the board be independent of the clubs/FUFA but reporting periodically to the shareholders (Clubs and FUFA). The board shall create the management team for the day-to-day business of the USL headed by the CEO. Let these staff be recruited professionally by the Board and give all Ugandans an equal chance to apply. Let the Club Officials go back to their clubs and put their weight behind their clubs for better growth.
With the new management created on merit at USL right from the board to the messenger, the shareholders thus the clubs and FUFA will demand for results from this unit and the case of football politics at the expense of the league will be a thing of the past. What are club officials looking for in the board of the USL for heaven’s sake? It has not worked anywhere and actually it is one of the reasons S. African football with all the resources they have are not where they should be. The English Premier League Board, the model that we want to mimic, has no one from clubs. Have you heard of anybody from Arsenal or Manchester United on the League Board? It does not just make sense
I will hand over the button to the hired spin doctors
(About the Author: Magogo is the Vice president of FUFA in charge of Administration and a FIFA certified Administration Instructor. Besides Football, he is a professional Engineer working with African Development Bank in Kampala City. He will be posting a weekly Topical Opinion of matters of subject every Friday)
Ugandan head coach Bobby Williamson has hinted on fielding Cranes second choice goalkeeper Abby Dhaira on his starting lineup against hosts Morocco in the LG cup official opening match this Friday evening.
The Scottish tactician was heard telling colleagues in Morocco Thursday evening that South African based Cranes custodian Denis Onyango had already proved his worth in the past campaigns. Onyango conceeded only two goals throughout the last Africa Cup of Nations campaign. The goals came from Angola in Luanda City where Uganda lost 2-0.
Bobby said he would therefore prefer giving Dhaira a chance to prove himself but this he added, ‘would be finally decided later’.
During his training session on Thursday, Bobby concentrated on trying Proline FC’s Kalungi Henry in Captain Ibrahim Ssekagya’s back position with Isaac Isinde standing in the position of the assistant captain Andy Mwesigwa. Ssekagya and Mwesigwa did not travel with the team.
Masaba Simeon and Walusimbi Godfrey could start in their usual positions while Hassan Wasswa is destined to play in deep six position. Going by the same training, Brian Umony, Habib Kavuma, and Mike Sserumaga would also start among others.
Meanwhile Bobby has assured the LG cup organizers that his team was not in Morocco as tourists but for serious business. “We attach a lot of respect to this tournament and we thank the organizers for considering inviting Uganda” said Bobby. He was speaking during the press conference organized this Thursday. Sudan plays Cameroon in the first game before the official opening match between Morocco and Uganda around 11:30pm (Ugandan Local time). Cameroonian International star player, Samuel E’tto will lead his side against Sudan.
The crowning ceremony is set for Sunday and the winner walks away with U$ 60.000, the runners up U$ 30.000 while the third and fourth team take home U4 20.000 and U$ 10.000 respectively. Keep watching this space for more details before kick off in Marrakesh City.
