Hunt for success leaves league coaches in precarious position
Mubiru (middle) on the Vipers bench during the 2-1 loss to SC Villa, which proved to be his last game at the club. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
- KCCA coach Mike Mutebi, voted as coach of the year at Friday’s Airtel Fufa Awards, too won six of the first seven games. His side has also won four in a row and lead the UPL log with 31 points from 13 ties.
- When Villa suffered a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Onduparaka at the Betway Green Light Stadium in Arua on October 1, Deo Sserwadda was sacked the following morning.
KAMPALA. Coaching is one good job as long as you win. It is a task solely dependent on results.
And the growing buzz and rise of competition in the Uganda Premier League (UPL) has heightened the demand for success from most club managements, leaving coaches in a spot of bother.
Failure to meet targets has seen a number of tacticians shown the exit door this season - an average of a sacking every month since August.
On Sunday, Abdallah Mubiru and George Nsimbe became the latest casualties after the pair alongwith John Luyinda were sacked by Vipers following the club’s 2-1 loss to SC Villa at Nakivubo a day prior.
He was the eighth coach to lose his job since the league started in August, albeit Charles Ayeikoh resigned at Soana following differences with the club boss Smart Obedi.
James Odoch left JMC Hippos where he was head coach for a more lucrative offer as Kefa Kisala’s assistant at URA. That pushed Livingstone Mbabazi from URA to Onduparaka. The other four changes have come via sackings at SC Villa, Vipers and Express (twice).
“I have done whatever I could but unfortunately results did not favour me,” read part of a statement from Mubiru. He had only spent 136 days in charge with the reigning Uganda Cup champions.
The defeat to Villa was the second straight UPL loss for the 2015 winners, meaning Vipers have won only once in the past five outings. Mubiru and his former assistant Nsimbe left the club in fifth place on 20 points after five wins, five draws and three losses.
But now 11 points adrift of leaders KCCA, Vipers’ club proprietor Lawrence Mulindwa, who grimaced in the Nakivubo pavilion on Saturday, was prompted to take action. Perhaps, to protect the interests of the club sponsors Hima Cement.
“We want to see a very lasting marriage that will be fruitful to all of us. And as Vipers’ we must protect the interests of our partners,” Mulindwa said while unveiling the Shs632m two-year Hima deal in October.
But that’s not new. Just five days after unveiling DStv as kit sponsors, Express got rid of Wasswa Bbosa on November 1 after he failed to win any of his four matches since replacing Alex Gitta.
Bbosa’s successor Matia Lule began his spell with a goalless draw at home to Sadolin on Saturday, meaning Express last won a match on September 24, a 1-0 win over Vipers.
When Villa suffered a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Onduparaka at the Betway Green Light Stadium in Arua on October 1, Deo Sserwadda was sacked the following morning.
And bar the 3-1 loss to KCCA, Sserwadda’s replacement Shafiq Bisaso has now won six out of seven matches, the joint-best run this season.
KCCA coach Mike Mutebi, voted as coach of the year at Friday’s Airtel Fufa Awards, too won six of the first seven games. His side has also won four in a row and lead the UPL log with 31 points from 13 ties.
