Express FC are looking forward to a fresh start after sacking their head coach, Wasswa Bbosa. In a statement released on February 14th, the club confirmed that Bbosa would leave his role with immediate effect. Assistant coach, James Odoch, would take over the reins and be assisted by goalkeeper coach Daniel Kiwanuka.
The news came as a sudden surprise to some, while others saw it coming. There has been bad blood between the former head coach and the club’s management and players, which has led to the club’s poor performance this season compared to the previous one.
What might have been the last nail in the coffin was the disappointing draw against bottom league club Tooro United. But this wasn’t always the case. There was a time when Express FC conquered the league and was often considered the favourites by the best betting sites in Uganda.
When Wasswa Bbosa joined the Red Eagles in the 2019/2020 season, his tactical ideas helped the team survive relegation. In the 2020/2021 season, Bbosa made history by leading Express FC to their first Premier League win in 12 years and clinched the CECAFA Kagame Cup for the first time in the club’s history.
The management appreciated his success in the club, and a part of the statement read, “The club would like to thank Wasswa Bbosa for his dedication and memories, most notable of those including winning the two cups.”
So after such a successful journey together, what brought about the divide between the two parties? Even though the club doesn’t say why they decided to sack Bbosa, one can point to several reasons.
The club’s performance has declined compared to the past season, but being in the top 5 still counts for something. After Betway dropped its Express FC sponsorship deal, the club’s finances were affected, and the management came up with plans to cut down some costs.
One of their suggestions to Bbosa was that he trims his squad to only a few crucial players to save on allowances and salaries. Bbosa’s response was a resounding no, and he said that every player was essential and that laying them off mid-season wasn’t a good decision at all.
The other suggestion by the club was to take breakfast off the menu, but Bbosa once again disagreed and said that players and staff usually get to the stadium as early as 8 am.
Besides the financial issues, Bbosa’s relationship with Express FC CEO Isaac Mwesigwa hasn’t been the best. The two had different opinions during the transfer period, which started their strife. As the season went on, Bbosa accused Mwesigwa of bribing referees so that his team loses, and the latter gets a reason to sack Bbosa. However, the former head coach got a fine and a suspension.
During the final meeting at Wankulukuku stadium, an angry Bbosa was seen storming out of the meeting held by CEO Mwesigwa. After the club released its statement, we are waiting to see interim coach, James Odoch, lead the team in their next match.
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