Sports Club Villa Jogoo president, Ben Misagga has testified that the aspirations and objectives from their recent tour of Vietnam were 90% met.
The club traveled to Vietnam towards the end of November (on notification of the Uganda Premier League secretariat and the full blessing from Federation of Uganda Football Associations) and played seven international club games in a space of 10 days.
In an exclusive interview with Kawowo Sports shortly after the club’s quiet return from Vietnam, Misagga testified there are vivid fruits from the tour.
First of all, we traveled to give keep our players active and exposed to international football action since the league had taken a two weeks’ break. That was objective number one achieved.
While in Vietnam, the Jogoos played seven games non stop, winning three, drawing and losing two apiece.
The other important aspect technically was the ability to score as many as 14 goals although the grey area lied in the rate of conceding.
International relations and networking:
The tour of Vietnam is envisaged by many as one where the Jogoos sought to look for new friends, partners, sponsors and in a way seek for market of the players.
Misagga, who was part of the team on the tour acknowledges the tour was so useful;
We signed two partnership pacts with two clubs and we shall look forward towards working hand in hand with these clubs for the benefit of our team building process, creating market for tour players and building a platform for exchange programmes of players and administrative personnel.
Kawowo Sports has established that SC Villa Jogoo signed partnership agreements with Dong Tam Long An and Khanh Hoa Football Clubs for unspecified periods of time.
Already, six of the club players (Ambrose Kirya, Tadeo Lwanga, Godfrey Lwesibawa, Umar Kasumba, Ibrahim Kiyemba and Abdulmalick Vitalis Tabu) are being linked to moves to Vietnam for a combined fee of $600,000.
There was drama when Sports Club Villa Jogoo returned to the country on Thursday afternoon ahead of Saturday’s titanic clash with rivals Vipers (SC Villa won 2-1 on Saturday).
Whereas the club officials insisted many of their players had not returned and thus were not ready to face Vipers, Kawowo Sports had established with authority the full contingent of the Jogoos had returned.
UPL Secretariat insisted the game should go on as scheduled and the Jogoos’ cocky tricks continued when they stormed a residential training camp at Nabinnonya Kisubi in preparation for the match.
“Those people you have seen in SC Villa shirts are not ours,” Misagga told Kawowo Sports then when asked about the silent camp at Nabinnonya.
However, during the 2016 Airtel-FUFA Awards at Victoria Hall, Speke Resort Munyonyo, Misagga duly confirmed they will honour the match, but with a condition, ‘only if their remaining players from Vietnam arrived on time’.
The full drama was epitomized at Nakivubo Stadium on Saturday evening when SC Villa Jogoo recovered from a goal down to win 2-1 and keep a close chase on leaders, Kampala Capital City Authority football club.
KCCA overcame Proline 3-2 in another close contest played at the Phillip Omondi Stadium, Lugogo in Kampala.
SC Villa Jogoo Vietnam Tour 2016
22nd November, Tuesday: Binh Duong 2- 4 SC Villa Jogoo
23rd November, Wednesday: Dong Tam Long An 1-1 SC Villa Jogoo
24th November, Thursday: Rest Day
25th November, Friday: Khanh Hoa 0-3 SC Villa Jogoo
26th November, Saturday: Long An 2-2 SC Villa Jogoo
27th November, Sunday: Khanh Hoa 0-3 SC Villa Jogoo
28th November, Monday: Da Nang 2-1 SC Villa Jogoo
29th November, Tuesday: Quang Ninh 1-0 SC Villa Jogoo
