Danito NSUBUGA
This will be their 4th consecutive season in Uganda’s topflight league and perhaps one that seems to be the toughest in terms of challenging the big boys. Vipers and KCCA have been going hugely active in the market.
Asking them to challenge the status quo would however be unrealistic judging by the fact that they have been the only consistent side among the three teams with whom they gained promotion in the 2018/19 season.
Kyetume has suffered relegation, fought back sportingly and then demoted two divisions down for failure to meet registration and licencing standards.
Proline FC will play their 2022/23 season in the Kampala regional league after being further demoted from the Big league.
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Wakiso Giants are on the other hand striding on having finished 10th in their maiden season, followed by a 9th placed finish and their best ever last term when they managed to finish 7th.
They have a new man in charge but he is not only new at Wakiso Giants, he is also new on the touch line as an independent coach having worked most of his time under the wings of Abdallah Mubiru.
We managed to get upclose with Mr. Ismael Kiyonga, the head of PR and media at the club to give us a spotlight into what we should expect from the Purple Sharks.
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With progressive results over the previous seasons, the good transfer business and a financial muscle that only a few teams would boast of in the league, anyone would expect Wakiso Giants to be among the contenders but Kiyonga prefers a modest approach to things with huge preference to keeping pressure away from the team.
“We have been improving our positions ever since we got promoted from 10th, 9th and 7th respectively and next season, the target will be to improving on the 7th position and perhaps finish anywhere in the top five”.
“We are looking at being more stable in the division but also be as competitive as possible”
He said.
A few experienced members of the team have left but he affirms that 90% of last season’s squad has been retained.
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“We have at least managed to get two players in every department and retained close to 90% of the team that played last season”.
“These young men are very ambitious, hungry for success, energetic and talented” .
Wakiso Giants managed to recruit some new exciting youngsters including Kajjansi United’s exciting midfielder Marvin Nyanzi, defender Apollo Kagogwe has been brought in from Tooro United and Bashir Sekagya is expected to provide the desired cover for the departed Derrick Emukule.
Regardless of their presumed financial muscle, Wakiso Giants have mainly recruited from the lower leagues and players that are moderately known but up to the task.
” As a club, one of our strategies is to have at disposal very good promising young players who fit in the club’s philosophy as well and Nyanzi fits the bill. Our scouting network has done well so far and if you look at Tito (Titus Sematimba), Ibrahim Kasule, Sam Ssenyonjo and others, It doesn’t matter whether you are from lower leagues or elsewhere but as long as you can play, there is always a chance.”
” We are one club that believes in youngsters and we scout players from as deep as the lowest league and move on from having same players at disposal all time.”
Wakiso Giants are one of the sides with the highest turnover in the coaching department and their president Musa Sebulime is known as a trigger happy boss who has no compromise on results. They have averaged more than a coach per season and Luyinda must know that only results will keep in the job
Kefa Kisala, Douglas Bamweyana, Livingstone Mbabazi, Alex Gita and Ibrahim Kirya have all suffered the boot .
“Coaching is all about meeting targets set by the club and if you don’t get them, it’s likely you will go. That’s football and coaching business”.
” Luyinda, is a modern day coach that we believe will take the club further and his philosophy is one we believe in at the club”.
“We understand this will be his first time as a head coach but there is always a start and he will have the full backing of the club. Like he said at his unveiling, he has worked and learnt from some of the best coaches around and doubting his doubting Mike Mutebi, Abdallah Mubiru, Sam Ssimbwa and George Nsimbe. In brief, we have faith in him to do the job.
Every team is built on individuals, though football managers like to hide in the principal of team unit and cooperation. Wakiso Giants will have to identify a few extra ordinary players who will pull the team in tough games as Kiyonga emphasizes.
“We play as a unit and that explains the philosophy and the trust we have in the whole team”.
“However, there are players we expect to come to the party – Aliro scored lots of goals last season and we expect him to continue doing so, Tito (Titus Sematimba) shone in his first season and we expect more, Ibrahim Kasule, Rahmat Senfuka and others will be key.
With all the facilities in place, players signed, coaches employed , every sporting team needs support from well wishers and fans and so does Wakiso Giants.
The media manager winds up by making a rallying call to everyone associated with the club to continue pushing along with the management in terms of buying club merchandise, seasonal tickets and attending matches.
Wakiso Giants technical department
1. John Ayala Luyinda , Head coach
2. Hussein Wasswa, 1st Assistant
3. Pius Ngabo, 2nd Assistant
4. Richard Kansole, Goalkeeper coach
5. Hakim Senkumba, Trainer
6. Mathias Kisitu, Team manager
WAKISO GIANTS SQUAD 2022/23
1. Kenneth LUKUYA
2. Grant MATSIKO
3. Alex KOMAKECH
4. Lawrence BUKENYA
5. Pascal IRASA
6. Ambrose ALINDA
7. Tom MASIKO
8. Titus SSEMATIMBA
9. Frank SSEBUUFU
10. Ibrahim KASULE
11. Mikdad SSENYONGA
12. Hassan SSENYONJO
13. Ronald MADOI
14. Bashir SSEKAGYA
15. Moses ALIRO
16. Andrew KALYANGO
17. Marvin NYANZI
18. Rahmat SSENFUKA
19. Norman OJIK
20. Shariph KIMBOWA
21. George KADDU
22. Marvin MUKIIBI
23. Collins ONEGA
24. Samson KIIRYA
25. Apollo KAGOGWE
26. Joshua LUBWAMA
28. Lincoln MUKISA
30. Yunus BAKER
