Ssenyondo says Kitara not getting carried away

The basic target of any newly promoted sports team is to stay up.

And after matchday 19, it looks like all three - Kitara, NEC and Mbarara City - are on course to fulfilling just that.

Of course Mbarara, 10th on 23 points, have a harder task to complete the mission compared to Kitara and league debutants NEC.

The latter duo comfortably sit first and fourth on the StarTimes Uganda Premier League table with 39 and 31 points respectively after 19 games.

For being their first ever time to play top flight football, NEC’s performance so far - which has seen them win nine, draw four and lose six games - has been nothing short of inspiring. 

Yet when you look further up, it is not defending champions Vipers SC or formidable Bul that top the 16-team table.

Instead, it is the Royals of Bunyoro - Kitara FC - who are towering above 15 others on 39 points after 12 wins, three draws and four losses.

Delivering on promises

At his unveiling as Kitara coach in June last year, Brian Ssenyondo promised the faithful of the Hoima/Masindi club “the best brand of football, building from the back to attack.”

Going by the performances and results 19 matches in, where - with 34 goals and a goal difference of 18 - Kitara have outscored everyone else, Ssenyondo is clearly delivering.

“I have to say, yes… we have achieved it and we are playing beautiful football,” Ssenyondo emphasised to Daily Monitor.

“Of course in some games we have had to be tactical or not dominant but that is how football is. You adjust accordingly to get the results.”

The other factor that has been ever present is the 12th man, who have pushed their team home and away in numbers.

Sticking to the target 

And some are silently starting to dream of a title for a team whose president, Deo Kasozi, talked of a top five finish as their target while unveiling Ssenyondo.

“Of course you can’t stop them from talking and wanting to win the title,” Ssenyondo explained, “but we have to stick to the target. The next games will determine.

“We can’t get carried away with the current status. For example, only one point separates us from Bul, Vipers have games in hand. It’s still too early to talk about the title.

“Even the top five is not guaranteed yet. We have to keep focused and see what happens.”

Not surprised

But did the Caf B former UPDF coach expect to be in this position when he took over the job?

“I’m not surprised at all about where we are,” he insisted, “I always believed that if we were facilitated well, and the environment was good, and player welfare was taken care of, we would always play our best.

“We have good quality players who are eager to learn and improve everyday. And ours is collective responsibility. We perform as a team.”

Denis Omedi, who has scored 10 of Kitara’s 34 league goals, Paddy Muhumuza, Jude Ssemugabi, Paul Mucureezi and Frank Tumwesigye are some of the experienced players giving the leaders a lift.

Fresh from beating KCCA and Wakiso Giants 1-0 respectively, Kitara next face SC Villa in the Uganda Cup round of 16 on Sunday before taking on Maroons in the league on March 8.