Mutebi’s tongue pierced AS Kigali

Mike Mutebi lasted a grand total of 11 games as coach of the Rwanda Premier League side AS Kigali. He won three, lost three and drew five.
They lie fifth in the topflight table on 37 points, 13 behind leaders Kiyovu with seven games to play in the season.  
The former KCCA, SC Villa and Uganda Cranes coach was sacked yesterday following a coup by players, reports from Kigali indicate.

A source told Daily Monitor that players found his language unwelcoming. “AS Kigali are full of Rwanda league’s best players,” the source wrote.  
“For your information, players are the main reason for his sacking.
“Because he under looked them; saying they run like chicken and other many impolite words in the post-match press conferences,” he added.

Disparaging remarks
Such language has been commonplace with Mutebi throughout his time as a coach stretching back to the mid-90s.

Describing players as ‘people who don’t understand the game’ is an off-cuff statement for him. In addition, he would say ‘many players run like headless chicken’ or ‘need an education on the game’.
Mutebi and his assistant Jackson Mayanja only joined AS Kigali in January on a two-year contract.
At that time, AS Kigali were fourth on the log log with 20 points, five adrift of Kiyovu after 12 games.
The standards have since fallen as both parties failed to adjust quickly to each other’s methods, and language.

AS Kigali, who yesterday announced the appointment of Andre Cassa Mbungo as Mutebi’s replacement, said in a statement that it was with “regret” that they had reached the difficult decision.

“While the past few weeks have been disappointing,” the club said of the sacking that came after Mutebi’s charges fell to a 1-0 defeat to Rayon Sports.
“They should not obscure all the work he has done over the past  months to rebuild the foundations for long-term success,” the club added.
“We thank him and his assistant for the Work they have done with the club.”

Mirror at KCCA
When Mutebi was sacked by KCCA in March 2021, he took a sabbatical although there were quite a number of teams interested in his services.
The 52-year-old would go on to describe people at KCCA as ‘persons who know zero about football.’
“If they feel like good riddance then I wish them the same,” Mutebi was quoted as saying.

“There are people who always want to act smart because every time there is success, everyone wants to own it and we have had those individuals who want to attract all the attention which is not right.
“And I cannot allow someone to overstep boundaries and try to influence my technical decisions, that’s impossible. Because some of those people know zero football and do not understand the technical bit of affairs,” he fumed.

However, his six-year spell at the Lugogo-based side is his best. There, he won four league titles, two Uganda Cups and a regional Cecafa trophy.
Mutebi leaves behind Emmanuel Okwi and Muzamil Mutyaba, who play for Kiyovu, and Musa Esenu at Rayon Sport.
[email protected]