A 5-0 away defeat to Raja Casablanca, frustrating stalemates at home to Wakiso Giants and AC Horoya and loss to Simba as well as an embarrassing transfer climb down.
To say it has been an eventful start to 2023 for Vipers SC would be an understatement. The club despite signing several players in the primary and second transfer window finds itself in a worse position than it did a few months ago when the club reached the group stages of the Caf Champions League group stages.
In August/September window, electric man Lumala Abdu (returning from stints abroad), Isa Mubiru, Ashraf Mandela, Marvin Youngman, Murushid Jjuuko, Cromwell Rwothomio arrived in addition to foreigners DR Congo; Alfred Mudekereza, Darcy Mbaka, Gracia Mpongo, Olivier Osomba, Rodrigue Shamamba, Robert Serge Mwenge and Nigeria; Abubaker Lawal before an Angolan; Miguel Lutumba plus an Ivorian Desire Tetty joined the fray in January along with Martin Kizza and Karim Ndugwa.
In total, there have been over 17 new arrivals at Kitende, an outrageous number for a team as stable as Vipers SC.
In that period, players like Ceaser Manzoki, Abdul Aziz Kayondo, Halid Lwaliwa and Bobosi Byaruhanga were sold which is good business for the club but the release of Paul Willa left question marks.
It has been the case in recent times at Kitende where players seen as crucial for the club’s future leave harshly with Geoffrey Wasswa, Derrick Ochan, Allan Kyambadde, Mike Mutyaba and Ibrahim Sadam Juma a few examples to mention.
What is annoying about the foreigners is that their performances have been below average with all coaches turning to the locals yet under normal circumstances, the foreigners would be an improvement on the Ugandans.
Save for Manzoki and goalkeepers Mudekereza and Burundi import Fabien Mutombora, the rest of the foreign legion have proved bad business.
First, questions need to be asked on who scouts these players because when most have been unveiled, finding information about their careers and profiles has been tough.
The foreigners like the norm is on the continent’s biggest clubs are supposed to beef up the team and help improve the performance but on Saturday, Bianchi Beto could only pick two – Mudekereza in goal and Mwenge off the bench in defeat to Simba.
While unveiling Beto, club supremo Lawrence Mulindwa was asked about the new signings and whether they had been recommended by the Spanish-Brazilian to which he answered – No.
“He didn’t sign or recommend any just like he didn’t with the team we used in the first round,” he said before stating “It’s his job to get the best of them.”
For now, the club looks likely to bow out of the Caf Champions League after six games in the group stages but what should give headache to Mulindwa and team is being seven points adrift of KCCA in the league yet it would be important to retain the league and go back to continental football.
In conclusion, the difficulty should be a lesson to the club hierarchy to rethink their transfer policy given their financial muscle, stability and structures at Kitende.
Ismael, a team is as good as its administrators. In the whole article you have only fallen short of mentioning who is to blame. But of course all of us know who the problem at Vipers is. Unfortunately not a single person is ready to mention him.