SC Villa ended their 20-year championship title drought by clinching the StarTimes Uganda Premier League on Saturday, May 18, after a nail-biting 2-0 victory over NEC FC at the Phillip Omondi Stadium, Lugogo.
It was a tense final day of the season for the Jogoos’ fans and officials, who were haunted by last year’s heartbreak when their beloved side fell 0-1 to URA FC in a similar situation. The buildup and the 90 minutes against NEC FC kept the entire Villa fraternity on the edge of their seats, but this time, they were rewarded with triumph instead of tears.
Let’s dive into the factors that propelled the Jogoos to finally end their frustrating two-decade league title spell:
Mandela’s financial clout
Ahmed Mandela, the proprietor of City Tyres and chairman of the Mandela Group of Companies, returned to active administration of SC Villa in 2021 after several years on the sidelines. Mandela was the financial lynchpin of SC Villa’s success between 1998 and 2004. His return was prompted by the club’s financial distress, as they struggled to pay players’ allowances and salaries.
As expected, Mandela’s financial clout came to the fore last July when he brokered a Shs 1.5 billion sponsorship deal with LingLong Tyres, a Chinese car tyre manufacturer, to bankroll the club for three years. Through this deal, SC Villa receives Shs 500m per year.
By winning the league title, their 17th overall, it is clear that the money Mandela brought to the club through the LingLong deal is bearing fruit within the first year. Mandela’s return has stabilized SC Villa’s finances, ensuring a solid foundation for their success.
Coach Dusan Stojanovic
The Serbian tactician, connected to SC Villa by his compatriot Milutin “Micho” Sredojevic, joined the Jogoos in July last year. Ironically, Micho guided SC Villa to the 2004 league triumph before the 20-year title drought began.
Stojanovic deserves credit for his tactical acumen in reorganizing the team within 10 months to become champions. “His tactics were always spot on, and he managed the players well,” remarked John Vianney Nsimbe, a local football commentator, about Stojanovic’s work with SC Villa.
Despite a brief stint as Micho’s assistant for the Zambia national team, Stojanovic came into the SC Villa job with limited experience in African football. He now faces another significant task: to revive SC Villa’s name in the CAF Champions League, where the Jogoos have fond memories as Uganda’s second club to play in the prestigious tournament final.
Experienced Players
For every championship-winning side, there are key players who drive the team. This Villa squad rode on the experience of Kenneth Ssemakula, Patrick Kakande, and Umar Lutalo to clinch the championship. The trio was part of Villa’s squad that narrowly missed out on the title in the 2022/23 season when they lost 0-1 to URA FC on the final day.
Ssemakula was the bedrock of Villa’s defense, while Kakande and Lutalo (with eight goals apiece) provided crucial scoring ability for the Jogoos.
Vipers’ Complacency
The self-destruct mode at Vipers, the former defending league champions, played in favor of SC Villa, who gracefully took advantage to grab the title. Vipers, who have won the league four times in the last six years, did not show any serious hunger in their quest to retain the title this season, approaching most of their games with complacency.
This complacency was coupled with instability on their coaching bench; the Kitende-based side hired and sacked coaches three times in 10 months. The season began with Alex Isabirye in charge, followed by Livingstone Mbabazi and Richard Wasswa in quick succession.
That said, SC Villa fans and officials will enjoy this particular title triumph even more after many years of waiting to see their club extend the record to 17 trophies.
