I have the honor to have worked and lived in Uganda for almost 2 years with all problems and pleasures. These were two wonderful years for me.
I am not writing about SCVU or national team but will write about my impression of Ugandan football. I came to Uganda from a completely different football environment, mentality, way of working in football etc. I knew from the beginning that techniques of copy and paste have never produced results anywhere, and so did not even think of doing something like that.
Uganda has its own written and unwritten rules in football and one specific system into football circles. My task was to adapt to it, accept it and to impart some new knowledge and experiences with a goal to establish a higher standards. I knew I would make it because I had a vision which is the most important aspect when embarking on a new job.
In the first place, you have to know your capacity, what you intend to achieve, your goals and what you have to do to achieve those goals. There were so many aspects about Ugandan football both positive and negative that I simply didn’t understand.
The first positive is that no matter how bad the infrastructure is, people are interested in playing the game no matter the age. This could be observed everywhere there was free space in Kampala. The first football school is the street and this was same in Europe 20 years ago though somehow they are now developed.
Secondly, players have faith and hope that one day they will ply their trade professionally. This is evidenced by the fact that despite little or no salaries at clubs (even those in super division), the players are motivated by the urge to become professionals. This is unconditional love for football indeed.
In the previous two years, I observed some investment in infrastructure and though at a small extent, it’s a big step forward in developing the game. There were also a few clubs with established good organization with a vision to achieve something and this is another positive I witnessed.
On the negative side, there was total confusion in administration as evidenced in parallel national Football Associations, divided clubs with similar names playing in different leagues. This is unbelievable but very true. From this confusion, a lot of clubs say Maroons, Utoda FC, Fire Masters and the like no longer exist or if they do, their status is unclear.
Another unacceptable thing is that medical examination for players in Ugandan football is not an obligation. I fought this and demanded my club (SCVU) that every player must be first medically examined before featuring for the club. Thankfully, it was done but only at SCVU.
Football is a high intensive sport and requires healthy players whose medical status must be known before introducing him to intensive training since consequences can be fatal. True, medical examination is a bit expensive but nothing is larger than life.
In Serbia, medical examination is a must at all clubs right from 8th division, U7 categories to senior/adult players. For adults, it’s recommended twice a year while younger ones do it every after four months.
Another disturbing thing is that there is no coaching college in the country. Though some coaching courses were organized for a few days, it’s not enough time to learn about a sport that is so dimensional and keep on changing constantly. As a coach, you must understand psychology, anatomy, sports medicine, basic rules of football training, how to teach tactics plus techniques, preparing players for true fitness training etc.
In regard to all that, there is even a different way of how to handle kids and the adults. Every coach works with human beings and thus if his training isn’t proper, he can endanger the lives of his players.
And lastly, I observed with great sorrow the way Ugandans have so much passion for the English premiership and not their local football. It’s amazing that people commit suicide or murder each other for a loss that Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool or Chelsea suffers. Restaurants and Bars are filled by people catching these games yet a local game attracts less than 100 people in attendance. I believe the EPL is among the best leagues in the world but I wonder how someone can have so much passion and love for a side millions of miles away from home but none for a local club. Does this contribute to Ugandan football?
Same to journalists and administrators, only a few care to report or write about the local game but most are so much into international sport (football). If football fans in Uganda support domestic league, clubs, and players with just half the passion they offer to the EPL and keep consistently posting local stuff on the social networks, I guess that can change something.
People must know that players featuring in the domestic league are their brothers, fathers, friends and or relatives who need utmost support so that they can also make it to the World’s top leagues. The Ugandan league is not the best in the world but with support and love for it, there will be steady growth for the game.
The Writer is Ivan Zoric from Serbia, former Coach of SC Victoria University.