Seldom does a football club registered in a country’s top flight league commence a fixture without their head coach, his assistant and only one substitute player on the bench.
Entebbe football club faced that unfortunate feat on Tuesday during their 0 – 3 FUFA Super league loss against Sports Club Victoria University.
Head coach, Matia Lule continued with his ‘no- show act’ from the bench since he took over reigns of the club from former Cranes International, James Odoch, the latter left for FUFA Big league side, Baza Holdings football club.
Lule’s assistant, Alex ‘Mabanga’ Gitta for the second time running was absent away from the team’s fixture, having missed the game against Sports Club Villa at Wankulukuku stadium.
Entebbe Municipality aspiring Member of Parliament, Christopher Ssebuliba, a former goal keeper with Manhattan and Uganda Airlines football teams was the team’s interim head coach, assisted by kits and welfare manager, a one Kagisa.
The duo were helped by Siraje Sentamu, a player on 2 consecutive red card suspensions (against Bul –Bidco at Lugogo and against Masaka L.C at Wankulukuku) and John Muwanga Ssembuya who doubled juggled his team doctor’s role to coach as well.
Such is the trouble that is hitting hard the club which is most definite to be relegated by the close of the regular season should such trends and results continue.
The mysterious disappearance of the two coaches raises more eye brows. Only one player, Samson Kirya, a goalkeeper, made the bench prior the Sports Club Victoria University kickoff while Moses Ssekasana came with just half an hour of the match played.
The team’s iron lady, also the club secretary, Rehema ‘Mamma Young’ Nakabuye no longer attends team’s training sessions lest the matches.
When Entebbe hosted Police in the Uganda Cup at the Fisheries Bugonga play ground, Mamma Young was watching Lweza playing Bright Stars at Kajjansi.
Training for the team members is as rare as a freezer is in Iceland. “We have not trained as a team for the past week. We just gathered for the match against Victoria University”, a player who prefers not to be named for fear of being pinpointed told Kawowo Sports.
Player control is a myth at the club and individual behavior is quite alarming. Against Victoria University, you could easily see the team lacked the leadership on and off the turf and the discipline was left wanting. At one stage, they threatened to beat up the referee and abandon the tie altogether.
Team goalkeeper and skipper, Majwega almost beat up the referee as the rest of his players and the ‘technical bench’ looked on.
With senior players like Yusuf Kinene absconding from the team’s fixtures, the deeper end of the problem – is yet to get unfolded and solved.
“We are not in crisis because we can still play catch up and survive relegation”, Mohammed Zziwa, a former Vipers’ player now at Entebbe F.C reassures as he tries to build confidence among his teammates.
Willy Kalemba, another experienced lad at the side reasons it is time the club management called for an urgent crisis meeting before the rot gets thus far.
“We need a quick meeting to put the house in order otherwise, we are losing out on crucial points that may help us survive relegation”, he says.
Entebbe football club is owned by former FUFA vice president (in charge of finances), Anthony Kimuli, whose known mobile telephone contacts were unanswered as Kawowo Sports sought for his side of the story.
