URA facing brutal reality with Obua-ball

URA coach David Obua has launched a charm offensive to calm down nerves at the club as his sprouting Obua-ball mantra seeks to match with positive results. 

He has called for perspective on the struggles of his team, insisting that things might have to first get bad before they get better and that he is not losing sleep over recent pitiable results.

Saturday’s 2-0 loss at home to reinvigorated Vipers was the seventh in the league and triggered more concerns among the club faithful as URA are now eighth in the table with 31 points from 22 matches. 

In fact, the Tax Collectors have lost thrice and drawn once in the last four StarTimes Uganda Premier League matches with the damning downward spiral seemingly not about to end. 

After Vipers completed a league double over URA, Obua appeared to suggest he believed his players are doing their best although the results don't portray the same. 

"I'm happy with the boys for keeping our style (the Obua-ball that emphasizes building from the back). 

"I have told the boys that whenever you lose games it teaches you how to respond to difficult situations, " Obua said. 

URA were outrun and out-thought by Kitara earlier in the 3-0 loss in Masindi and here they were at Lugogo flattering to receive against a coach-less Vipers side that is also fighting to regain its rhythm. 

With another trophyless season imminent for the four-time league winners, Obua has implored his charges to fight harder in upcoming five games against Express, NEC, Busoga United, Mbarara City and KCCA. 

"Losing games makes it more complex for us but we have to work harder and believe that one time we can be champions, " he added. 

Fondly referred to as 'King David', Obua, on November 2 last year, inherited a troubled URA side that had lost confidence to compete for titles, lacked leadership and had failed to strike a proper blend of young and experienced players. 

In his first ever assignment as head coach, Obua chose to experiment with budding players like John Kisolo, Geoffrey Ssekibengo, Bruno Bunyaga, Amis Bwangani among others at the expense of established players which had burned his fingers in crucial times of need. 

He is also yet to solve a goalkeeping puzzle that has Rogers Omedwa and James Alitho taking turns whilst committing school boy errors. 

Startimes Uganda Premier League 

URA last four matches

URA 0 - 1 KCCA
URA 1 - 1 Bul
Kitara 3 - 0 URA
URA 0 - 2 Vipers

URA next five matches

06/04/24: Express vs. URA
16/04/24: URA vs. NEC
01/05/24: URA vs. Busoga United
07/05/24: Mbarara City vs. URA
11/05/24: URA vs. KCCA