As we watch World Cup, let’s embrace football democracy
The World Cup kicked off in Russia on June 14. Some teams such as Spain, went into the tournament with leadership challenges after sacking the head coach Julen Lopetegui, a day before the World Cup.
The 51-year-old was appointed the new Real Madrid boss earlier this week, which reportedly left the Spanish FA feeling “betrayed”, which brings us back home.
The four years in office as SC Villa president have been full of challenges and nothing inspires me to work harder than something deemed difficult to overcome. It has always been my template for life.
When I offered myself to lead the Club in 2004, I was elected unopposed but was denied leadership because some of our colleagues thought I was young. After 10 years, I offered myself and I still went through unopposed but some high-ranking officials were sceptical and thought I couldn’t steer the Villa ship.
I was exonerated years later when the Club went into turmoil and divisions to the extent that we ceased being title contenders.
In 2014, I felt the need to rescue Villa but it was not easy convincing everyone and my family. ‘Villa is divided, why waste your resources? You will not manage the intrigue and cliques,’ so said the naysayers.
My unanimous election disproved most of those notions because my passion for the Club supersedes those trivial issues. In football, there is no club where there is no discontent and it starts from the pitch where everyone thinks he would have used different tactics. Actually agreeing to disagree is the norm of football because you can never have one opinion in football.
I look back with a tinge of satisfaction yet much as I haven’t achieved the ultimate dream of creating a dynasty, I believe the Club is on the right path albeit with some challenges, some within while others from outside. Villa is now a gem that everyone wants to grab.
Two weeks ago, the Club executive drew a roadmap for elections slated for August 24. I have invited any fan to offer him/herself for leadership positions using the very constitution that ushered me into the leadership.
The Villa constitution, enacted in 2013, is to a great extent the handiwork of Moses Magogo, the Fufa president, and the election is in line with the Fufa electoral code.
However, the detailed roadmap has been met with cynicism from quarters I least expected that prefer to address the Villa situation, as fans of the Club, on social media.
They want the polls postponed and the Club be put up for shareholding, which is a mandate of the Club congress not the president in me. It is also quite bemusing for them to think that Villa is a sinking ship, which we shall never allow when they and I are still floating.
Ordinarily, Villa fans channel grievances through the Club structures or directly to the executive and if one feels unsatisfied then he/she is free to express discontent publicly at our general assembly. In fact, Villa has a fans registry of more than 1,500,000 across the country and they all have a say in the Club affairs. Unfortunately, some of the critics have never expressed interest to become one. I will perhaps interest them when I meet them.
So, I found stinging social media dossier against Villa nothing short of an emotional outburst. I hope these people do not have a conflict of interest in the process because anything is possible in Uganda’s unpredictable football administration where clubs sometimes get represented by non-members.
Could it be that Fufa wants to influence election process at Villa in spite of the fact that Article 17 of the Fifa statute provides total independence of clubs when deciding their leadership?
Firstly, any postponement would render my executive illegal after the expiry of our term and would thereby create an interim leadership whose mandate would be under Fufa.
Then again, Villa as a community Club cannot just be owned by a few individuals. The leadership has to be accountable to fans, not a handful of individuals.
Meanwhile, I have read speculation in the media why Fufa may not need some of us at Villa for reasons best known to them. I treat this as unfounded because I have never really enjoyed intrigue.
Lastly, I will not accept any deviation from our constitution. Villa is the fountain of club democracy in Uganda, dating back to 1975 when the Club was formed. I salute our great former leaders such as Patrick Kawooya, Franco Mugabe, Owek Mandela Umar, and Edward Luyimbazi.
Whoever wants to improve or amend our constitution should do so through the Club congress, which is open to every registered season card holders. There is still time for that. While other clubs are in the market recruiting, we are busy politicking, what will happen in the season coming? What we need now is reorganisation and freer discussion for the Club. Let us enjoy the World Cup and respect football clubs.
Mr Misagga is SC Villa president
