Novice Masaba leading new-look URA into unknown Caf territory
Ready: URA’s Masaba. PHOTO / COURTESY
What you need to know:
- To the tax collectors administrators, it was time to trust former club skipper and assistant coach Simeon Masaba to take the club forward.
Just when Caf Confederation Cup representatives URA needed experienced gaffer Sam Ssimbwa most, they casually let him leave.
To the tax collectors administrators, it was time to trust former club skipper and assistant coach Simeon Masaba to take the club forward.
Ironically, the 38-year-old former right-back was also appointed on an interim basis which implies that URA return to the continent after a six-year hiatus minus a substantive tactician in the dugout.
Regardless, Masaba went into an overdrive signing players he believes will galvanize the team ahead of the club’s first continental task against Coffee FC of Ethiopia on Sunday at St Mary’s Stadium Kitende.
Since taking over Ssimbwa’s job, Masaba has recruited Derrick Ndahiro, Baligeya Simon, Andrew Okiring Isiagi, Living Kabon, Said Kyeyune and James Alitho to stake his claim on the team.
Midfielder Kyeyune and goalkeeper Alitho have ostensibly returned to add steell and experience in the team while Sekajugo and Kabon are expected to add to creativity and versatility.
The youth of Baligeya, Isiagi and Ndahiro point to URA’s desire to build but to attain tangible results in the Caf engagement, Masaba needs to piece up his team first and fast.
Masaba, who briefly handled Onduparaka and has been enjoying a smooth ride as Morley Byekwaso’s auxillairy at the U-20 and U-23 sides, knows the herculean task at hand and is ready to give it a go.
“I feel proud, I feel great and I am excited to be home again. But still, I have to prove my worth as a coach now which I did as a player. It is a new challenge. The target is to win everything with this beautiful club and I hope my experience will help in guiding the team and help the players with their discipline because representing URA is always a pleasure,” Masaba, who spent six years at the Nakawa based side, told the club website.
URA will take on Coffee in the return leg in a week’s time at the Bahir Dar National Stadium-Ethiopia. Tanzanian match officials Elly Ally, Salim Mkono Mohamed, Sief Mpanha Kassim and Martin Eliphas Saanya will handle the first leg at Kitende.
Express gets more steel
Wasswa Bbosa’s Caf champions league preparations at Wankulukuku has been tampered by the absence of four key players - Murushid Juuko, Martin Kizza, Joel Mutakubwa and Enoch Walusimbi who have been with the Uganda Cranes.
As is the norm, the Sudanese giants Al Merriekh arrive in Kampala early, touching base at Entebbe on Monday evening to get ready for the Kitende engagement on Friday.
On top of recruiting playmaker Joseph akandwanaho and goalkeeper Joel Mutakubwa, the Cecafa and Uganda Premier League kings have bolstered their team with experienced defensive midfielders Nicholas Kasozi and Deus Bukenya.
UG CLUBS IN CAF FIXTURES
Caf Confederation Cup
URA VS Coffee FC (Ethiopia)
St. Mary’s Stadium-Kitende Sunday, Sept. 12
Caf Champions League
Express VS Al Merriekh (Sudan)
St. Mary’s Stadium-Kitende, Friday, Sept. 10
