The upcoming Uganda Premier League awards are approaching with the best performers from the 2015/16 season expecting to be feted. The last time such awards were held was four years ago but the current league board promised to make it a regular (annual) event.
“The awards have missed for the last three or so years but now is a new era,” FSL chairman Arinaitwe Rugyendo assured media during the launch.
Several categories from coaches, former and current players to media are expected to be rewarded. Here and our next articles, we analyze the contestants indepth.
COACH OF THE SEASON.
At first, Express FC coach Waswa Bossa had been included in the shortlist but was later replaced by Soana’s Charles Ayiekoh due to qualification complications.
1) Moses Basena.
The national team assistant coach handled two clubs; URA FC and the Saints during the season.
The tax collectors fired the coach on October 31st 2015 after a 1-0 loss to Saints FC. By then he had only managed two wins in eight fixtures including a 4-1 embarrassment at the hands of Sadolin paints at home. Many attributed his failure to poor management in the dressing room.
He took over at Saints at the beginning of second leg when the team was languishing in the relegation zone after coach Nsiimbe had left to Vipers. Saints had only ten points!
The coach was boosted by five onloan players from KCCA FC including Farouk Matovu, Owen Kasule, Yasin Mugume, Mugabi and Isaac Sserunkuma. Basena saved saints at the end of the season finishing 11th with 37 points.
Strengths and weakness.
He saved saints from relegation. Failed to perform at URA with all the resources at his disposal
2) Charles Ayiekoh
First, he is the most disciplined coach on and off pitch. Very friendly to media before and after the game no matter the results and always smart!
Ayieko led Soana to 7th place scoring 44 goals the second highest after URA. He gets a pat on the back for promoting Eric Dhaira and Musa Esenu to the team from MUBS.
Eric has since joined IBV in Iceland while Esenu scored a massive eight goals in his half season appearance. Revived former BUL players Simon Okwil and Crespo Asiku’s careers both finishing the season with over five goals.
Strength and weakness
Nurtures young talents and 2nd best attacking line in the league. Most porous defense among next season’s teams after conceding 41!
3) Mike Mutebi
The KCCA FC coach finally wins a medal after two decades in the business. Mutebi won the league after accumulating 57 points, twelve less than last season’s tally. Express finished with 53 in 2012/13.
Strength and weakness
Won the league with nearly equal performance in the first and second round!