Koukouras is under scrutiny!
SC Villa 1-2 Buf FC
SC Villa have suffered their second loss in the Uganda Premier League UPL.
It does not rhyme with the energy that club has come with under their new board headed by club great Omar Mandela.
SC Villa have lost to Wakiso Giants and now Bul FC in their four games in the top flight Uganda Premier League since FUFA flagged them off.
The 16 times league champions beat struggling Police FC in their opening game of the season at Kavumba Recreation Grounds and then went on to settle for a point against rivals Express FC on Saturday at Wankulukuku.
Petros Koukouras will have excuses about the disruption to his preparations when his team were delayed by the confusion surrounding the club elections. But it is his job to ensure he manages the situation to get the results.
The new club management continues to motivate the team through clearing players’ arrears and improving their day to day welfare.
Has he done enough to reciprocate the motivation from management to the playing field by getting the required results?
Koukouras and his boys underestimated the Bul FC threat at Njeru Technical Centre. Alex Isabirye’s side took charge of the game in the first half and were able to claim victory.
Poor defending cost SC Villa when Musa Esenu headed home his side’s opening goal. The striker was all on his own when he buried home Hillary Onek’s cross.
Then the moment that killed the game was the sending off of lively SC Villa attacker Oscar Mawa whose challenge against Bul FC centre back Aggrey Madoi saw the referee send him off.
Esenu complicated matters for SC Villa when he punished Meddie Kibirige to hand his side a two goal caution going into the dressing room.
Koukouras before this fixture urged his team to go all out for a win against the stubborn Jinja side. “We need the three points and the boys know it’s all we want. “
The Greek knows he will be judged on the team’s performances on the pitch. Continued results against his side are going to attract the attention of the fans and consequently the people who write the cheques.
Fans and the owners are aware of the shortages the club found itself in. The disruptions to their preseason activities which saw the team fail to kick off as expected.
And they will also welcome the fact that most of their players are young and inexperienced. The head coach will require time to get the best out of them.
The Mandela administration is known for their work in the past and they will certainly delve into the transfer window heavily when it opens to try and strengthen the team.
But for now they need Koukouras to do his job and keep the club within the touching distances of the big boys. The Greek will also be aware that there are a couple of top local coaches without jobs in the market.
Sam Ssimbwa who left his job at URA FC and Mike Mutebi fired from KCCA FC are available. The current SC Villa board are ambitious and will need a coach to match their hunger.
Ssimbwa and Mutebi are title winning coaches that no team of SC Villa’s might ignore. If the results continue the way they are for Koukouras, then his tenure at the club is likely to be reviewed.
SC Villa lineup: Meddie Kibirige (Gk), Gavin Kizito, Kenneth Ssemakula, Gift Fred, Joseph Agandu, Ali Bayo, Amir Kakomo, Umar Lutalo, Oscar Mawa, Travis Mutyaba, Iddi Abdulwahid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjfcuGrwvjU
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.