Football mourns Tushar Ruparelia

Uganda football is mourning the passing of former SC Villa team manager and player agent Tushar Ruparelia who passed on Wednesday while visiting his daughter in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

Tushar, fondly referred to as ‘manager’ in football circles, was manager of Villa during the club’s most successful reigns in the 90s.

He left the club in 2003 and started cutting out his niche as a player agent.

Soon after, Tushar was banned by Fufa for one in 2003 after he was found guilty of helping striker Hassan Mubiru travel out of the country for professional trials without informing his parent club.

Mubiru, having made the move from Villa to bitter rivals Express, was stopped at Entebbe Airport following a tip off from then-Express chairman Godfrey Kirumira.

Fufa president, Eng. Moses Magogo described him as: “Another foundation pillar falls. It is a black day in the history of our mighty club. Tushar has been a true @SCVillaJogoo.”

“May the Almighty God judge his earthly works with mercy. Always a rude reminder to us that it is a matter of when not if.”

 Fufa tweeted that; “Football has been robbed of a great supporter of the game.”

The club he served, Villa wrote that: “It’s a sad day for us, the Jogoo family and the football family at large. Rest in power Jogoo.”

Reports indicate that Tushar collapsed in the bedroom while visiting his daughter in Nairobi. He was rushed to hospital and pronounced dead on arrival.

In his later life, Tushar has brokered many deals for players.