She Corporate need patience to make B93 relationship work

Six years ago after Frank Petersen had been handed an opportunity to build the women’s football project at Danish club Nordsjælland, he came to Uganda in search of partnerships.

He held a camp with Ugandan goalkeeper Mathias Kigonya and was left impressed with the handles of Ruth Aturo and Vanessa Edith Karungi.

“Europe does not give us enough good players so we wanted to make a pipeline from here,” Petersen shared with SCORE.

“Your goalkeepers are strong, they can jump high on both legs. They have agility and power which we our players in Scandinavia don’t have and you cannot teach that.”

While at it, Petersen tried to convince Fufa to let him work with the U-17 and U-20 teams but the responses were not forthcoming so he decided to work with clubs.

He then moved to another Danish club; Boldklubben af 1893 (B93) which he helped establish a relationship with She Corporate. In this, B93 offer technical support that includes coaches and player development in exchange for players like Karungi, who had rejoined She Corporate in late 2019, after a stint with Olila High School, making a move to Denmark possible in early 2021.

Risk and reward

She Corporate would benefit financially only ‘when’ B93 sold the players. Usually, the bigger women’s football nations buy talent from Scandinavian countries; Denmark, Sweden and Norway because these are willing to scout for talent in far lands and help it acclimatize to Europe.

She Corporate’s chairman Richard Kawere bought into the idea wholesomely but now appreciates the risks.

“There is no business without risk but we also thought of what it could benefit us if we insisted on the players staying here. We would keep spending more on them and it is not easy to sell them directly from here,” Kawere said.

The parties had apparently agreed that Karungi be sold after a season but she seems settled in Denmark.

Hardly a bad decision but She Corporate could do with the money, according to Kawere, as they “need to continue scouting and developing players and to hire coaches that can help the head coach (Hassan Isa).”

Petersen believes that “Vanessa will leave one day for sure” but B93 need time as “we are looking for the next goalkeeper. I am sure we have her here (Uganda) but she needs time to develop.”

There were hints in our conversation that She Corporate’s current goalkeeper Daphine Nyayenga and a number of her outfield colleagues like Phiona Nabbumba and Ronah Regina Nantege are in the pipeline and Kawere believes that after Karungi’s success, some of these will not need trials to join B93.

But Petersen said that “while there is no need for some players like Phiona to continue playing here (Uganda), it does not make sense to stockpile players at B93. We have to get those ready to play and not just because we made an agreement.”    

B93, according to Petersen, have started working with another club in the USA which they hope to link to She Corporate.

Tough season

The pressure will only grow on the latter to make this work yet from this season, She Corporate – who won the Fufa Women Super League title last year – the performance of players has been a concern.

Petersen joined coach Hassan Isa on their touchline for the 2-0 loss to Kampala Queens last Sunday and at times cut a frustrated figure.

“Two days before the match, we were trying to do some new stuff. But you cannot expect that to work in the next game, one of that magnitude. So I was frustrated that I could not communicate what I wanted.

At half time, I told the players that: you are making a lot of mistakes but they are happening because you are trying to do what we want, which is a good thing that will help you in the future,” Petersen said.

“KQ is a very good offensive team and they have a good goalkeeper. But their fullbacks were leaving a lot of space and that is why we wanted to give them corners and space for crosses. When we win the ball, we can make counter attacks but we were slow in initiating them.

So I have recommended that we get two midfielders that can turn the game,” he added. This hints at an imminent move for Nabbumba.

“The players are doing well but we have been unlucky with injuries, changes in the coaching team, players leaving and maybe not the same quality coming in. We are trying to stabilize the team right now and finding out what we can do to make life easier for the players.

These challenges happen when an ordinary team becomes a Champions League team. Not many teams are prepared for that quick growth but we want She Corporate to be number one or two every year and get a player or two to Denmark,” Petersen said.

She Corporate’s Rollercoaster Year

May 2022 – Won the league

May 2022 – Lost Ronah Nantege to injury

July 2022 – Signs Joanita Ainembabazi, Esther Naluyimba, Anita Namata, Spencer Nakacwa, Jackline Nakasi, Phoebe Banura, Cissy Nakate and Zahara Nankya

August 2022 – Finish second at Cecafa Caf Women’s Champions League qualifiers in Tanzania. Earn $20,000 (Shs76m)

August 2022 – Namata shockingly moves to Vihiga Queens

November 2022 – Finish first half of 2022/23 season in sixth with 11 points

January 2023 – Lose Favour Nambatya to Apaer, Rwanda and Miriam Ibunyu to Ceasiaa Queens, Tanzania

February 2023 – Nantege, Susan Atim return from long-term injuries

FWSL 2022/23 TABLE

TEAM                          P          W        D          L          F          A          PTS
Kampala Queens        11         11          0          0        23        3          33

Uganda Martyrs          11          6          1          4          22        17          19

UCU Lady Cardinals    11          5          2          4          17        15        17

Olila HS                        11          5          1          5          14        17        16

Kawempe Muslim      11         3          5          3          16        12        14

She Corporate             11          3          5          3          15        12        14

Lady Doves                  11          4          1          6          14        8          13

Makerere University   11          1          5          4          10          16        11

Rines SS                      11          3          2          6          10          19       11

Asubo Gafford            11          2          1         8          12          32        7