Vipers SC clinched their second cup title in the club’s history after thumping BUL FC 8-1 in the 2021 Stanbic Uganda Cup in a game that was meant to showcase the level of professionalism and organisation from the football governing body of Uganda football FUFA.
However, what we observed on the final day was only a picture of how incompetent the governing body and its structures are starting from the competitions committee to the licensing committee.
A cup final is assumed to be a well-organised event on and off the pitch, most importantly from the participating teams.
However, the fact that an unfortunate incident involving a goalkeeper during the match, where BUL FC goalkeeper Sanon Mulabi collided with an opponent earlier in the game and he started limping but he was left on the pitch to play because there was no substitute for the goalkeeper.
Mulabi’s prolonged stay on the field led BUL FC to concede six goals before he was replaced with an outfield player Musa Esenu with thirteen minutes into the second half, who also later conceded two goals to the end of the match is not something that was good to watch.
Am not dismissing Vipers’ splendid performance on a cold evening. But for a professional cup final to kick off with no substitute for a goalkeeper on the bench, who should be blamed? Is it the club or the football governing body?
Startimes Uganda Premier League clubs have spent close to three months in the transfer business and the window closed just six days ago.
In my opinion, three months are more than enough for an able football club like BUL to carry out the transfer business and fulfil all their licensing requirements before the semi and final game. However, the restrictions that could not be pardoned by any form of improvisation is the biggest problem.
In normal circumstances, the Uganda Cup final usually happens before the transfer business is done, and for this case in particular, the rest of the competition was played after the closure of the transfer window. Why then would rules such as ‘only players licensed for the previous season are eligible to take part in the game’ apply?
Every transfer window usually gets many players and clubs rushing to finalise their business before time catches up with them and the same was witnessed this time round as clubs ensured they send out and bring in players before the close of business and by such, considering the way our clubs handle the transfer business, it would be very hard to remain with any players eligible for a competition that has crossed seasons.
BUL bellowed past Express FC 1-0 in the semi-final tie played on Thursday 23rd September 2021 with only two substitutions on the bench because other members of the squad were ineligible to play citing licensing requirements.
While, the FUFA licensing Committee’s main task is to enforce the licensing requirements towards the clubs, reserving the right to ensuring that all the clubs fulfil their licensing requirements before participating in any FUFA organised event, however, it is incumbent on the competitions committee that the game is played under circumstances that are fair to all.
The funny bit of it all is the fact that the clubs, especially BUL FC were not even willing to contest the circumstances under which the game was played. It’s really funny that the records will pronounce how BUL FC conceded 8 goals in a final but never consider the fact that they did not have a goalkeeper for most of the game. It was never meant to end well under such circumstances and the result really shows how incompetent and weak BUL FC and its administration is. Was that the kind of result they were waiting to have before contesting the rules? You can stand to neglect the circumstances that would lead to such a result.
The events witnessed during this week of the Uganda Cup semi-finals and final is only an example of how incompetent both the clubs and FUFA have been for some time now.
I believe the competition committee should have bent a few rules and regulations ahead of the final for the purpose of having the game played on a levelled ground. For example, the Competitions committee should have allowed at least not more than five newly signed players by the clubs to take part in the game considering the fact that the cup was taking place in an un usual manner. It surely should have found a better way to deal with this than the way things panned out to be.
The FUFA President Eng. Moses Mogogo lectures about the level of professionalism that Uganda football is taking but, when he lets such events pass without questioning then a layman’s interpretation of professionalism should be something else.
Moving forward, Uganda football should find its way to professionalism in simpler or hard ways if we are to move a step forward. It is upon all stakeholders to give hand in enforcing professionalism.