Sixteen-time league winners SC Villa find themselves in a precarious situation of getting maximum points in their remaining three games of the StarTimes Uganda Premier League, if they are to avoid the drop this season.
Currently, the Joggos are seated firmly in 13th position on 28 pts on the 16-team log, only three points separating them from the 14th placed Ndejje Lions and the relegation monster.
Paidha Black Angels and Nyamityobola have already been relegated with the remaining third slot under contention, of course either Villa or Ndejje have more realistic chances of being relegated.
It will be remembered that at this point last season, Express FC was in the same situation surviving on the last day courtesy of Alfred Leku’s solitary strike which also earned Masavu their UPL exit.
Villa and Express are traditional clubs and according to them, they command the biggest following in Ugandan football. I however have my reservations on this statement, lets save this discussion for some other time.
The common paradigm is, Villa and Express are the benchmark in very many aspects of club football in Uganda; competitiveness, management etc. The reality however, these clubs are a shadow of their former self.
As Express was fighting relegation last season, I intimated with some colleagues that, they (Express) will only switch places with Villa this season. This was my submission to support that assertion. Villa just like Express are strategically disorganized.
For all these years, they have failed to agree on the basic fundamentals such as ownership and structures later on the way forward. They have always provided temporary or short-term solutions to their permanent problems.
For example, at the beginning of this season, Villa put in place an interim executive committee for six months whose mandate was to steer the club through transition to the ‘promised Land’. This interim committee has surpassed it’s tenure and it’s tangible results are yet to be seen.
The fans seem to have control of the club and sometimes dictate on matters of management, team selection etc. It’s very unfortunate with this level of influence, fans cannot support their clubs financially.
Like I mentioned last time when Express was at it, relegation is healthy for Villa. This way, though painfully, they can go back to the drawing board for self realization, strategic planning and bounce back strongly but this time with a sustainable agenda. There’s a Luganda proverb, embwa lwefa lwemanyibwa nyini yo, loosely translated as the day the dog dies, it’s true owner shall emerge.
If Villa survives the drop, the focus will be on next season and as such the underlying problems will not be addressed. Just like it happened at Express who are currently 11th on 33 points. By the way, Express are mathematically relegation candidates again this season.
As it is, these clubs never learn from their mistakes. Let’s not #SaveVilla, I believe they can do it themselves or else, they have an opportunity to have a clean start in the FUFA Big League next season. The choice is entirely theirs.
