By Denis West Last season;
Opening UPL match
Vipers vs Ndejje University
St Mary’s Stadium-Kitende,
4:00pm Friday
The complete overhaul at Kitende didn’t only stop at the stadium refurbishment but also spilled to the technical bench and the players.
Mexican Javier Martinez replaced Miguel Da Costa in August with a vow to retain the trophy and establish ‘sexy’ football at St Mary’s Stadium-Kitende that club owner Dr Lawrence Mulindwa so much craves for.
He has over 14 new arrivals to make his wish a reality but it is going to be interesting to watch Vipers, adjusting to life on the new artificial turf, carrying on work minus the departed reliable services of Ismail Watenga, James Alitho, Deus Bukenya, Erisa Ssekisambu, Milton Karisa and Nicholas Wadada.
Because they will have to balance the league, Uganda Cup and Caf Champions League duties under new tactician that has never trained in Africa, our intuition says they may settle for second in the league.
Champions Season projection;
2nd
Coach;
Javier Martinez
New Signings:
Bashir Ssekagya, Fabien Mutombora, Livingstone Mulondo, Fred Okot, Ibrahim Kiyemba, Rahmat Ssenfuka, Abraham Ndugwa, Dickens Okwir, Noah Wafula, Joseph Jjanjali, Johnson Sefu, Tito Okello, Davis Kasirye, Henry Katongole
Departures;
Ismail Watenga, James Alitho, Deus Bukenya, Erisa Ssekisambu, Milton Karisa, Nicholas Wadada
Award winning journalist and writer who has worked as a stringer for a couple of acclaimed South Africa based German journalists, covered 3 Ugandan elections, 2008 Kenya election crisis, with interests in business and sports reporting.