Inside Uganda Premier League clubs

BUL

After signing moody left winger Vitalis Tabu from cash strapped Onduparaka, Bul coach Peter Onen had hoped to pull a master stroke by signing Uganda Cranes shot stopper Ismail Watenga who is out of contract with his former Ethiopian employers. Apparently all had gone well until Bul, third on the table, refused to honour Watenga his sign-on fee demand.

The Bul administration reportedly pledged to pay him Shs1.5m a month but the two-time league winner with Vipers flatly refused the ‘disrespectful offer’. So desperate is Bul to beef up their goalkeeping realm that they are reportedly close to signing Vipers want away custodian Derrick Ochan on loan.

Busoga United

Striker Joel Madondo is reportedly in Morocco to negotiate deal with Wydad Casablanca and regardless of the outcome, coach Abbey Kikomeko is looking to grooming Lawrence Tezikya. Tezikya, a two-time top scorer at the National Post Primary Schools Championship, scored in the 3-1 win over Bright Stars at Njeru. He thereafter got injured but he is back to face Express on Friday. Madondo has netted thrice for Busoga this season but veteran forward Boban Zirintusa has done better with five.

Bright stars

Bright Stars announced coach Muhammad Kisekka has been moved to the head of Scouting and Youth Development at the club after he was relieved of head coaching duties on Thursday evening.

Kisekka was in charge of 14 of the 15 first round games winning once while his team drew six times and lost seven games in the sequence.

Kisekka held a similar role albeit unofficially ironically while Paul Kiwanuka the coach who has since replaced him was an assistant to Fred Kajoba. Simon Mugerwa remains Kiwanuka’s assistant with the rest of the technical set up unchanged.

EXPRESS

The Red Eagles will host their second round fixtures at Kavumba Recreational Centre, a switch from Wankulukuku that was deemed not up to the league standards. Ahead of their clash with Busoga United, coach George Ssimwogerere is delighted with the return of Mathias Muwanga. The custodian is back to full training after a back surgery that kept him out of the entire first round. Hamdan Nsubuga and Cyrus Kibande are also back. The latter missed seven games due to an ankle problem sustained against Kyetume in Namboole.

KCCA

Speaking on television at the weekend, KCCA CEO Anisha Muhoozi dispelled rumours that teenage forward Allan Okello is set to depart the Lugogo club. However, this paper understands that Okello and left-back Mustapha Kizza are on the radar for a number of clubs since they declined to renew their contracts which run out at the end of the season.

Okello in particular, is heavily linked to a move to join Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca, almost a week after KCCA rejected Tanzanian club Azam’s bid for the reigning Football256 and Airtel Fufa Player of the Year.

Kyetume

The newcomers were one of the teams keen on signing Paul Mucureezi after his contract at Mbarara City expired only for the midfielder to sign a three-and-a-half-year deal at Vipers. Now new Kyetume coach Jackson Mayanja revealed the club is in contact with Juma Balinya to have the 2018-19 league top-scorer join them.

After 19 goals last season, Balinya left Police to sign at Tanzanian giants Yanga only to cut ties late last year. Kyetume have also switched base from Namboole to the Mighty Arena in Jinja.

Maroons

Maroons do not open their StarTimes Uganda Premier League (SUPL) campaign until Friday but their outspoken coach, Douglas Bamweyana, already has an axe to grind with the authorities and broadcast sponsors. “Could this even qualify to be fair?” Wondered Bamweyana on his Faceboook page, “Whatever the criterion!” he added.

His post was followed by the list of 16 topflight teams alongside the number of times each will be telecast live in the second round. SC Villa top that list with 12 matches, KCCA 11 and Vipers nine. His Maroons are involved in only two live matches.

Mbarara

Every club wants to enjoy the privilege of hosting their home games in their backyard for the value of the 12th player, revenue and ‘intimidation’. Upon being stripped of the rights to use Kakyeka Stadium to Bombo Barracks, Mbarara City is sweating with renovation the stadium to get back home .

They have already lost star man Paul Mucureezi to Vipers and taking away the club from the fans reach would be complicating matters further. The Ankole Lions will hope the recent renaissance under returning Brian Ssenyondo gains momentum starting with a daunting trip to Lugogo to face KCCA tomorrow.

Onduparaka

Onduparaka were by press time still yet to agree terms with many of the club’s senior players ahead of the opening second round game away to Tooro. Many of the players have not trained with the club since the end of the first round with the club owing them as seven months in arrears. Former head coach Livingstone Mbabazi was the first to jump ship with the mid-season break expected to see several departures including Geriga Atendere who is reported to have joined his former coach at Wakiso. Fred Agandu, Vitalis Tabu and Abdulnoor Lukwata are the others reported to have moved away.

Proline

For Proline to survive the jaws of relegation this season they must contend with working on a blunt strike force worsened by the departure of Edirisa Lubega.

The club administration ought to also make the coaching situation more elaborate - is it Mujib Kasule or Baker Mbowa? Proline, that suffered a six point deduction at the start of the season has managed to score only six goals in 15 matches and conceded 23.

They started with Shafik Bisaso in the dugout, and then hired Matia Lule, Mbowa and later Kasule - characteristics of a club destined for doom.

Police

Police captain Sadat Kyambadde looks set to leave Police during the mid-season transfer period after falling out of favour with header coach Abdallah Mubiru. The central defender who can also play in midfield is in his stint at the club has found playing time hard to come by this season starting just two games in the first round and often failing to even make the match-day squad.

Police start the second round third from bottom having conceded 24 goals in 15 first round games, a tally one short of Kyetume who have conceded the most goals 25.

Villa

The big clash between URA and SC Villa today has come too early for the latter’s forward Bashir Mutanda. The striker will miss the start of the StarTimes Uganda Premier League (SUPL) second round as he is yet to fully recover from a long term injury.

The good news for coach Edward Kaziba’s side, however, is that the striker has resumed training this week. “We continue monitoring him maybe he could be ready for action in a week or so,” said Kaziba. Villa are fourth on the league table with 27 points, nine behind leaders Vipers.

Vipers

Joseph Dhata is the new name in the Vipers first team after the league table leaders added the young right back just days after unveiling high profile arrival Paul Mucureezi from Mbarara City.

Dhata has been part of the club’s youth set-up since his arrival from Buddo Secondary School mid last year. The youngster also featured for the South Sudan U-20 national team in the 2019 Cecafa youth championship that was held in Gulu and Njeru. He has been involved in Vipers pre-season training and featured in some friendly games.

Wakiso Giants

Isaac Ntege and Daff Luboobi are two of the players expected to depart Wakiso Giants in the mid-season transfer period after being deemed surplus to requirements by new coach Livingstone Mbabazi.

Reports suggest Emma Mutebi is expected to be loaned out while right back is expected to rejoin Mbabazi if his move from Onduparaka, where the pair previously worked, is finalized.

Wakiso were the best placed side at the end of the first round of all the three teams promoted at the start of the season finishing seventh.

Tooro

The woes at beleaguered Tooro United, yet to solve ownership issues continue after news filtered through that their dependable source of assists Godfrey Lwesibawa is on the verge of joining Bul. In fact Lwesibawa has reportedly been hobnobbing with Bul and at times attending their training sessions.

The fast winger was recruited by axed coach Wasswa Bbosa and has never been the same since his mentor left early this campaign. Lwesibawa was the closest the club had got to replacing departed Allan Kayiwa who is now adapting to life at Vipers.

URA

Whereas the tax collectors have switched base to the Arena of Visions in Ndejje, URA isn’t expected to make any new changes in their squad. However, they are battling to secure national identity cards for Paul Mbowa, Joachim Ojera and Hassan Kalega in time as part of the Fufa requirements to get licenses.

The trio’s challenge is that their passport bio-data doesn’t match that of their IDs and apparently, Fufa’s grace period is over and it will not print any player’s license without a national ID. Similarly, Brian Majwega is doubtful for the SC Villa tie because he has not returned to training because of personal issues.