Going gets tough for Jogoos
Sep 29, 2011
AFTER the worst start to a league season in a decade, collecting just two points out of a possible nine, SC Villa tactician Srjan Zivojnov has ruled out any possibility of throwing in the towel but promised to lead the team out of the current problems.
By Paul Wazemba
AFTER the worst start to a league season in a decade, collecting just two points out of a possible nine, SC Villa tactician Srjan Zivojnov has ruled out any possibility of throwing in the towel but promised to lead the team out of the current problems.
Reports had indicated that the club board had given the coaching staff the game against Proline on Tuesday as their lifeline if they were to keep their jobs.
But the Jogoos yet again fired blanks drawing 0-0 at Wankulukuku on Tuesday. This, plus a 1-0 defeat at Masaka and another barren draw against Police last week, heaped misery on the technical staff led by Serbian Zivojnov.
But the coach defended his position saying it is the players who have so far failed to master his tactics.
“We are playing very good football, creating chances but we are just unlucky. I don’t think of resigning as I hear people say because failing to score is not my fault, it’s the players’,†said Zivojnov.
His assistant and former striker at Villa Park Paul Mukatabala was also protective of his boss.
“It’s the pressure on the players. In training, they do everything well but when it comes to the match, they do otherwise. But very soon we shall put everything right,†Mukatabala said.
Meanwhile, some referees have threatened to boycott games involving the Jogoos unless their fans stop assaulting them.
At Wankulukuku, centre referee Dennis Batte and his assistants were forced to sit in the middle of the pitch after the game under tight security for over two hours until a Police vehicle came and whisked them away. Villa fans had camped outside the stadium baying for the officials’ blood.
The fans were complaining that the referees disallowed a ‘genuine’ goal by striker Erukana Nkugwa. At the final whistle, they threw stones at the referee but were thwarted by Police.
Referees appointing committee official Mansoor Kimumwe said that they will lodge an official complaint.
AFTER the worst start to a league season in a decade, collecting just two points out of a possible nine, SC Villa tactician Srjan Zivojnov has ruled out any possibility of throwing in the towel but promised to lead the team out of the current problems.
Reports had indicated that the club board had given the coaching staff the game against Proline on Tuesday as their lifeline if they were to keep their jobs.
But the Jogoos yet again fired blanks drawing 0-0 at Wankulukuku on Tuesday. This, plus a 1-0 defeat at Masaka and another barren draw against Police last week, heaped misery on the technical staff led by Serbian Zivojnov.
But the coach defended his position saying it is the players who have so far failed to master his tactics.
“We are playing very good football, creating chances but we are just unlucky. I don’t think of resigning as I hear people say because failing to score is not my fault, it’s the players’,†said Zivojnov.
His assistant and former striker at Villa Park Paul Mukatabala was also protective of his boss.
“It’s the pressure on the players. In training, they do everything well but when it comes to the match, they do otherwise. But very soon we shall put everything right,†Mukatabala said.
Meanwhile, some referees have threatened to boycott games involving the Jogoos unless their fans stop assaulting them.
At Wankulukuku, centre referee Dennis Batte and his assistants were forced to sit in the middle of the pitch after the game under tight security for over two hours until a Police vehicle came and whisked them away. Villa fans had camped outside the stadium baying for the officials’ blood.
The fans were complaining that the referees disallowed a ‘genuine’ goal by striker Erukana Nkugwa. At the final whistle, they threw stones at the referee but were thwarted by Police.
Referees appointing committee official Mansoor Kimumwe said that they will lodge an official complaint.