KCCA have made Shs9bn over the last three years

KAMPALA- Coach Mike Mutebi’s decision not to field Muhammad Shaban was not well received by sections of the KCCA fan-base in their Caf Champions League home loss to Esperance on July 28.

Patrick Kaddu led the line but had a game to forget against the Tunisia side as Shaban prepared for trials with South Africa’s Orlando Pirates.

“I understand the reaction and to demand that KCCA must win is a positive,” Mutebi said. “But the deal (to Pirates) was already in place before the match and given the transfer window and troubles we have had (with Shaban) before, I was not about to get in the way of a player whose mind had already been provoked by a move.”

Selling club?
The worry though is that KCCA do not seem to be getting in the way of any of their players that would wish to travel abroad – even in the middle of a continental campaign. It actually looks like a club strategy to sell or release players to suitors with little regard for consolidating the experience gained at continental level.

Geoffrey Sserunkuma and Joseph Ochaya were the first of Mutebi’s new era at KCCA to move to Zambia mid last year.

Sserunkuma joined Buidcon for free while Ochaya was reported to move for about $120,000 (Shs420m). Ivan Ntege also joined Botswana’s Township Rollers, for an undisclosed fee, about the same time.

The anguish, however, has hit fever pitch this time with about eight players moved on in the space of six months.

Derrick Nsibambi, who Mutebi admits was important to his project, moved to Egypt’s Smouha for a reported $80,000 (Shs280m).

Mutebi, however, argues a deal to an Egyptian club usually fetches the club between $150,000 to $200,000 (Shs525m-Shs700m).

That, perhaps, includes Isaac Muleme’s widely reported free January transfer to Alassiouty Sport. Mutebi insists it was not free.

About the same time goalkeeper Benjamin Ochan moved to Zambia’s Kabwe Warriors, reportedly for free. Paul Musamali and namesake Mucureezi have all since left the club while Tito Okello ‘disappeared’.

The player turnover has not spared the local market either.
Mutebi says compensations were negotiated for Habib Kavuma and Denis Okot after they fell out of favour with the arrival of Bernard Muwanga and the rise of Fillbert Obenchan respectively.

To explain these decisions, Mutebi, who joined the club over two years to go, says the long-term goal is to see KCCA turn into as a self-sustaining club.

“We want to be a big club but there are also requirements in association football that the club must be limited, semi-detached from the main institution.

To do that we must win championships because they come with prize money. Winning was there before I came but it was ad-hoc and not sustainable so we built a team with an identity, ethos and found players that suit that,” Mutebi, who is very passionate about and would like to replicate the works of Netherland’s Ajax Amsterdam and Spain’s Barcelona at Lugogo, said.

“But to test how big we can grow, we set targets to play in the group stages of either the Champions League or Confederations Cup.

That comes with money too,” adds the coach who believes their participation at this level has been an eye opener for Ugandans on what organization is needed to run a club professionally.

“Most of the players we sell have been scouted playing on the continent. In three years, we won’t have to sell but in the mid-term we have to, to ease the stress on the institution.

We have a strong academy to replace those who we feel have served their purpose and are ready for greener pastures.
And in so doing, we have managed to bring in Shs9bn, including money from sponsors.

This money has been used to improve the academy and improving the pay of those that stay here which was not easy before due to the bureaucracy involved,” Mutebi, who runs a budget of about Shs13bn per year, adds.
Since last year, KCCA has been receiving Shs800m per year for both the shirt sponsorship and stadium naming rights from Star Times. This deal will last four years while KCCA also receives support from MTN (Shs1.2bn over three years), Britam Insurance (reportedly Shs1.4bn till 2019) and Prime Media (Shs750m till 2019).

Mutebi, however, believes the young generation of players led by Mustapha Kizza, Julius Poloto and the widely revered Allan Okello can keep at the club till their mid-20s when the time to move them on comes; “if we must, we shall sell them to Europe for over $1m each without negotiation.
They will be already made materials not required to do trials and maybe we shall be also be able to sign the best players on the continent.”

M. Shaban (Onduparaka) Shs70m
Nicholas Kasozi (Villa) Shs50m
Bernard Muwanga (Villa) Shs27m
Gift Ali (Proline) Shs15m
Muwadda Mawejje (Soana) Shs8m
Oscar Agaba (Synergy) Shs5m

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