Livingstone Mbabazi is stepping down as coach of Mbarara City Football Club having guided the side to fifth place in the 2018/2019 StarTimes Uganda Premier League.
Mbabazi, took over after Ibrahim Kirya and Sam Kawalya who were in charge of the team last season on interim base in turns. The latter helped the team to survive relegation in the 2017/2018 campaign.
The timing of the announcement from Mbabazi is a surprise to many people, knowing that he helped the kakyeka boys to perform better and arguably have their best season in the league.
“Mbarara City Football Club has offered me both an entertaining and challenging football season at all fronts which has enabled me to further perk my profession as football club,” Mbabazi wrote in his letter dated May 29th, 2019.
“It’s a trying moment though for me to tender in my resignation as head coach of Mbarara City Football Club with effect from today 29th, May 2019.”
The main reason for Mbabazi’s resignation is yet to be identified but from the time the team lost to SC Villa at Namboole where both the goalkeeper Ali Kimera and his goalkeeping couch were suspended.
The development left so many unanswered questions hence amounting so much pressure on Mbabazi with also allegations of match-fixing.
But Mbabazi had intimated to www.football-256.com before the Cranes left for the COSAFA Cup in South Africa.
“I am leaving Mbarara City and will look for a job next season, you can’t work in such environment, very unconducive.”
“You can’t be at football club when you don’t have balls train the team, officials disappear on match days when the team needs funding to travel, then they expect you to get results as a coach,” Mbabazi said.
Mbabazi is currently affiliated to the Uganda cranes for the COSAFA tournament down in South Africa as the assistant to Abdudala Mubiru and he insisted that is his main focus at the moment.
Although it’s also believed that he is the official coach of Buddu in the 2019 Masaza tournament that started on Saturday June 1st, 2019 in Ssingo.
Who do Mbarara City turn to next?
The truth of the matter is that Mbabazi is a great manager that any team would wish to have his signature.
He might not have taken the Ankole Lions to the Promised Land but a fifth position is testament to his good work and the brand of football he implemented at the club.
So many names have come up on who should take on the big job, the likes of Fred Kajoba currently at Bright Stars and Waswa Bbosa for Tooro United but that’s a story for another day.
On the other hand, Mbabazi could be on his way to the Wakiso Giants who are huge favorites to get his signature since they parted ways with their former couch.
But with that all said, The Ankole Lions transition under Mbabazi has been immeasurable and unmatched, he has come up trumps on big occasions and he deserves all the respect and due credit.
