Da Costa falls out with senior players at Vipers

KAMPALA. Vipers moved top of the Azam Uganda Premier League (AUPL) table standings on Wednesday, following a 1-1 draw Soana.
The result, which was the club’s second draw of the campaign, revealed tensions that have been boiling over at the Kitende-based club.
This included a burst up between Vipers coach Miguel Da Costa and journalists, with the Portuguese getting edgy over questions about the absence of striker Tony Odur.
“Technical reasons,” the coach shouted after one heated exchange, responding on the absence of the player, who was the club’s leading scorer with 12 league goals.
He is not the only one thought to have suffered the wrath of the volatile Portuguese who still maintains the public backing of president Lawrence Mulindwa.
Midfielder Mike Sserumaga turned down a loan move after being told he was surplus to requirements at the start of the season while left winger Aziz Kemba has hardly made the Matchday squad this season.
‘Lonely seniors’
Another long serving player Musa Malunda has also fallen down the pecking order and has not featured despite the long-term injury to defender Halid Lwalirwa with midfielder Deus Bukenya operating as a centre back. Da Costa, who has a strong background of coaching youth football, has previously stated he would not be afraid of fielding players from the club’s youth team at St. Mary Kitende.
Among the players he has promoted include Frank “Zaga Tumwesigye as well as Ashraf Bamuturaki and Baden Mujahid among others, as the club seeks to avoid another trophy-less season.
“I did not speak to the press last game because supporters were very angry I did not field senior players but the team was winning 1-0 without those senior players and then 2-0 with them,” he further explained.
He also gave the impression that things that he is starting to feel the pressure at the club refusing to speak to the press following the 2-1 defeat to Police last weekend.
“Everybody is saying Vipers is not scoring goals but only two teams have scored more goals and Police got three goals from a boardroom decision,” he argued.
Before Friday’s games, only Police and KCCA (eight goals) had scored more goals than Vipers’ six.
Today, Police could move two points clear at the top of the log if they pick a win away to Mbarara.