Pritchard wants to emulate Scot Bobby with Rwenzori
Scottish touch. Rwenzori’s Bogere shields the ball from Bunyoro Karim Ndugwa (L) with Pritchard (R) watching. PHOTO: J. BATANUDDE
KAMPALA.
When Scottish coach Stephen Pritchard arrived in Uganda back in 2007 for a community development mission in Kasese, little did he know he would ever be jostling with football top brass for prizes.
This Saturday at Lugogo, the lively Rwenzori tactician is set to face Uganda Premier league table toppers SC Villa boss Wasswa Bbosa in the Fufa drum encounter. “The experience I have gained for the 11 years in Uganda has helped me identify the best football talent to match big teams like Kampala,” he tells Daily Monitor.
“With UPL players like Yubu Bogere (SC Villa) and Augustine Bachanchu (Bright Stars), I think we can go far in this tourney.
“Honestly I think we would have won the two games (draws against Tooro and Bukedi) but we made a few mistakes and received bad refereeing decisions,” he opines.
Pritchard played for Celtic under-21 side as a striker before a horrific injury sent him into coaching at the tender age of 22. He obtained FA level six coaching certificate which is an equivalent of Uefa B and worked as an assistant at Hull City ladies team before coming to Uganda.
Under the Community Development Through Sports (CDTS) programme, the Scot has given the region renewed belief in football. He has coached CDTS in the regional league and Sun City in the Fufa Big League before taking a sabbatical two years ago. “In January, I was approached by Rwenzori and I didn’t hesitate because I knew the players and I wanted to help in developing Uganda football structures like my friend Bobby Williamson (Uganda Cranes coach between 2008 and 2013),” Pritchard reminisces.
With the toxic attacking quartet of Yunus Sentamu (Finland), Steven Mukwala (Vipers), Robert Mukongotya (Nyamityobora) and Bogere, Pritchard believes he can floor lauded Kampala this weekend.
