Mutebi’s ‘babies’ destined to roar in Caf after Cecafa title

KAMPALA. Few clubs in Uganda, and East Africa at large, can demonstrate the value of a vibrant youth system better than newly crowned Cecafa Kagame Clubs Cup champions KCCA.

Under the guidance the mercurial Mike Mutebi, lads like Musa Ramathan, Allan Okello, Peter Magambo, Samuel Kato, Sadat Anaku, Hebert Achai and Mustapha Kizza stepped up to catapult KCCA to their second Cecafa title in Kigali on Sunday - leaving a trail of a fledgling team destined for greatness if kept intact.

It is easy to think that KCCA’s youth policy triumph in Cecafa was a one-off but considering Mutebi benched seasoned campaigners Sadam Juma, Hassan Musana, Nicholas Kasozi, Filbert Obencan, the club looks like a well-oiled machine ready to last the distance.

Mutebi says that he is glad his players have had a chance to play many games until the final which helped them gain enough confidence to break the 41-year jinx.
“The boys came for Cecafa with belief that we wanted to win and we did it. The display was above average and that is why we have insisted on developing our players.

“You look around 90 per cent of the team from the development side and have belief that they have started their carriers and I believe they will achieve because when players believe it becomes easy,” Mutebi reveals.

In the absence of Cranes attackers Patrick Kaddu and Allan Kyambadde, KCCA got the goals lifeline from Anaku, Okello, Nunda and Kizza whereas Kato and Magambo ensured that Timothy Awany wasn’t entirely missed.

“It was good exposure for the six youngsters I plugged out from the youth team for the tournament.
“They deserve praise because they stood tall and troubled teams and it shows we have a great team as we head into the new season.”

“It was the first task (Cecafa achievement) that we had to negotiate but we are confident enough that we can go to the group stages of the Caf Champions League,” said Mutebi. KCCA has been there before and a year out in the Caf Confederations Cup ‘coldness’ has helped Mutebi refocus and return hungrier. They face Namibian side African Stars in two weeks’ time and Mutebi anticipates a roll coaster ride with his boys whose average age stands at 20.

CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

First round - August 9-11
African Stars (Namibia) vs. KCCA,
KCCA Vs African Stars,
Second round - August 23-25
KCCA or African Stars vs. Matlama
(Lesotho) or Atletico De Luanda
(Angola)

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