KCCA Coach Mike Mutebi believes his side have enough in their armory to overcome CAF Champions League opponents Clube Desportivo 1º de Agosto in the preliminary round.
Mutebi reveals his side’s strengths, where to improve and remains adamant about KCCA’s targets.
He also talks about a possible clash with African champions, Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa who are lurking in the round after the preliminary.
On the draw against Clube Desportivo 1º de Agosto
It’s an interesting draw. Teams in Angola usually play that Brazilian approach given there have been so many Brazilians in their league not sure by design though.
I don’t know a lot about the team but I generally know how clubs from Angola and Angolan football in general want to dominate teams. A playing team against us (a playing team), it’s going to be an interesting match.
Respect or no respect for the Angolan champions
Of course we have respect for them. They are champions over there just like us here and thinking it’s an emerging club, they don’t have much history but football is about now and that means they are dominating now that’s why they are champions so they are going to give us a tough task. But we do believe we have enough in our armory to negotiate them and remember, our target is to try reach the group stages and to do that, we don’t have to be scared but face the challenge that comes in front of us.
What makes the gaffer confident!
If you look at statistics, I think in the league we have the most shots on and off targets. We have more free kicks in the finals third, more corners; attributes that exemplify attacking football.
When you look at attributes that exemplify attacking football, statistically we are there as compared to last season. We have scored 27 goals so far. These are positive attributes when you want to win matches, you to have to score goals, you must create chances. So we are pleased with how far we have come and think we do have enough really to negotiate that fixture.
But where to improve – defence of course
We must be solid; more organised and reduce the carelessness in defence. And that doesn’t go to the defence as a department but a team as unit. In modern game, defending is a unit. But the most pleasing is we are scoring goals and outscoring opponents.
But we need to work on our defensive approach when we don’t have the ball because most of our players are offensive minded so it becomes a problem for them to defend individually so hence, they must defend as a team unit.
(KCCA has conceded 14 goals in the League so far and kept just four clean sheets in 15 league matches)
On the possibility of a match up with Onyango’s Mamelodi Sundowns
You recall how they (Sundowns) qualified for the stages, the opponent used an ineligible player and when reinstated, they went all the way.
Pitso Mosimane (Sundowns Coach), when the draws were made then, he defined their league as mediocre and said they have to work extra hard on the continent and they did that.
They call it household name, they have won the Champions League and are defending champions but they are not threatening.
Gone are the days when you are going to talk of clubs like Al Ahly, then you would get scared.
We believe if we do things right, we can compete with the best and that of course will be an exciting fixture playing against our own (Onyango) but I think we shall get there. Let’s negotiate the first hurdle.
The manager delighted with how fast his players are learning the game
The team has been growing in leaps and bounds. They are learning to play the way we want to play – the beautiful way.
They understand the game which is important in the modern game for players to understand how to play and not going to the pitch and start running around.
The education of how we want to play is coming up and the players are appreciating it. Its pleasing as far we are concerned and like I say, we have enough in our armory to face the task in front of us for now besides the league.