By Denis Bbosa
monitor
What you need to know:
With Manzoki and Eric Kambale (formerly at express and now at Al Merriekh in Sudan) setting the bar high, the new Congolese arrivals have flattered to deceive or fill in their shoes.
In an era when Ugandan football is gradually opening its doors to foreign players again, the Vipers' stagnating experiment with the Congolese legion is forcing other clubs to think twice.
On paper, the seven DR Congo nationals, an Ivorian, an Angolan, a Burundian and a Nigerian on Vipers books were supposed to make them a formidable force on the continent and a bulldozer in the domestic competitions.
For now, it has stayed at that. After putting up a near no-show in the Caf Champions League Group C with one point from four matches and without a goal, Vipers management are set to reweigh their approach before turning the guns to club coach Beto Bianchi.
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The Brazilian-Spanish coach can't be faulted for the recruitment of the aforesaid players because he was literally hired in January to make lemonade out of lemons – in a short span.
Score investigations into who exactly sanctioned the arrival of most of the Congolese at Vipers that are yet to hit the ground running zeroed in on Isaac Mutanga – a former Express, Sofapaka and Bukavu Dawa (DR Congo) gangly defender who plays in India while part timing as a football liaison agent in the Central African nation.
"I'm the reason why the Congolese players returned to Uganda after a while. They welcomed us well when we went to DR Congo in 2016 and we told them that the Uganda Premier league can act as a gateway for them into Europe and other lucrative football destinations," Mutanga revealed.
He had lured a Ugandan contingent to Bukavu including John Revita, Johnson Bagoole (late),David Bagoole Vincent Kayizzi, Patrick Ochan, Brian Bwete and Innocent Wafula plus coaches Matia Lule and Billy Kigundu.
"On my return to Express, I came along with Fabien Mutombora who joined Vipers before the Red Eagles could nail him down. My friend Lawrence Mulindwa (Vipers president) was instantly impressed and soon I was offering him Cesar Manzoki and five other Congolese," he added.
Mature players on market
According to Mutanga, It would be wishful thinking to expect a budding Congolese talent to make it to the UPL because of the enviable scouting route to Belgium and France in Kinshasa.
"The Congolese league is dominated by mature players because the youngsters are taken to Europe at an early stage. Those that remain behind are given longer contracts and bumper paychecks that they can't be lured to the less paying UPL. That leaves only once option, getting battle hardened players seeking a second chance at redemptions abroad," Mutanga clarified.
With Manzoki and Eric Kambale (formerly at express and now at Al Merriekh in Sudan) setting the bar high, the new Congolese arrivals have flattered to deceive or fill in their shoes.
At The St Mary's Stadium, Congolese Alfred Mudekereza, Serge Mwenge, Olivier Osomba, Gracia Mpongo, Rodriguez Shamamba and Darcy Mbaka are far from being impressive despite the heavy investment in their services.
"In the transfer world, you may take a long time to catch up, sometimes it may be due to the system of play and change in atmosphere and culture. But what I Know about those Congolese, they are on a mission to join the paid ranks and will fight harder to shine and move on soon, give them time," Mutanga promised.
If it is not him shipping them from the Congo forests, then it is Congolese player agents toto Songe and Adolf Bola (also former players in the UPL) that are vending their compatriots to Ugandan clubs.
Who is to blame?
Back in the 1990s and early 2000s, the Congolese, Kenyans and Tanzanians lit the Ugandan league and some were even naturalised.
Stars like Ederi Muvambane (KCCA), Bana Zidane (Mbarara United and Express), Asani Bajope (KCCA), Cartouche Lutula (Mbale Heroes), Songe (Mbarara United Express) and Zazak Lingaya (Arua, Express) were a beauty to behold.
"It is always difficult to settle into a foreign country and for some players, it just takes longer getting used to a new environment. Let us give them time and see. I'm sure that Vipers are giving them all the help they need.
"Those Congolese of our days were very talented and hard working. When I look at Osomba and Desire Tety, I believe they will have a good second season," opines Mujib Kasule, a former player agent and now coach and Proline administrator.
To former Express and Wakiso Giants coach Alex Gitta, Vipers management should also avail a recognisable football philosophy into which these foreign players are bought.
"The players might not be the issue solely, but as well the constant change in coaching ranks, and the playing styles," Gitta says.
Denis Namanya, a certified player agent working with ProsperAgency, has sold a couple of local players to Vipers and insinuates at the complex nature of dealing with foreigners you hardly know about.
"Most of the foreign players are signed for their past deeds but not the current form. If you buy Robert Ssentongo (former Uganda Cranes, KCCA, SC Villa, St George and URA net buster) now, you have a former great striker but one that can't deliver at the moment.
As agents and clubs, we don't do enough research about the proposed player's consistency and the age cheating associated with players from DR Congo," Namanya stated.
He believes that the UPL is a soft landing ground for any serious professional 'because there is no racism like say in Egypt, the stakeholders are welcoming, and the demands of a foreigner at Vipers is not the same at Zamalek'.
Inside voice
Former Vipers darling Bobosi Byaruhanga trained with the new arrivals before recently flying out to join Austin FC in the States and was left impressed by some, although he is not forthright on whether any of them could replace him in the vacant midfield role.
"I have played with some of them before going to the US and I think that they are struggling because of limited time. Once they play regularly, they will come good, a few may take the Manzoki route and create a legacy," Byaruhanga, told Score.
Former Vipers coach Fred Kajoba was plain-spoken as they come about the Congolese enigmatic project.
"First of all Vipers somewhat hurried in signing most of those Congolese and a couple of other Ugandans like Karim Ndugwa and abdul Lumala once they made the Caf group stage. While still coach, they brought me five Congolese players and I only signed Manzoki because he had the physical and aerial attributes that the team lacked," Kajoba reminisces.
Manzoki scored nine goals in his first season at Vipers before banging 18 strikes in the second and collected five league awards in his unforgettable season.
"To sign a player at any level, you must have watched many of their videos but I doubt the Vipers technical team has ever seen a video clip of any of the Congolese. My greatest fear is that most of them seem to be way over 30 years old and may not last long to bring value," revealed kajoba, also the Uganda Cranes goalkeeping coach.
Bianchi also recently admitted to be struggling to grasp the qualities of the 32 players at his disposal yet the matches, fans frustration and administration pressure seems to be bulging every passing minute.
"We needed a coach ready to build the team and compete, retain the league and push in Caf Champions League. We are there not to participate but to move to the quarters.
"That said, we want a coach to give us joy with attractive football, have a coaching style and philosophy and also build a winning mentality in the players," Mulindwa asserted on January 10 as he unveiled Bianchi to the world.
The still jury is out on whether this can ever be achieved by the two parties.
