What's in this excitement about foreign clubs?

By Kenneth Matovu It was recently revealed that a power struggle had emerged in between factions of local supporters of the English Premiership side Arsenal. A group from the Kampala bar, Just Kicking, last month declared that they were the legitimate Gunners fans club before their authority was questioned by another set of fans from the same joint. Then, just days later, another assembly this time from another pub, Slow Boat, said they were the true Gunners and alleged that they had been locked out by the Just Kicking guys. All that had came before a man from Jinja started his own faction saying that Arsenal did not belong to Kampala and many have since seen him as the more serious of the three 'War Lords'. He is said to have had the audacity to invite the Kampala Gunners to his Highbury to watch some of the big matches. One of the groups got so ambitious as to try to petition Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger over the matter. He somehow got hold of the Highbury phone number, called and was told Wenger had "more pressing matters on his hands" than solving a fans' feud in, eh, Uganda. Interesting! So what's the problem - have our local teams become so undesirable that fans have to fight over English sides because they saw them on TV and thought Martin Keown or Jaap Stam looked good? It is bad enough shunning teams in your country but absolutely crazy opting for foreign teams and then fighting over them like kindergarten children. And the Arsenal dogfight is only the half of the power struggles! To their credit, the fanatical followers of Manchester United had been the first off to kick-off this fans club craze when early this year they attempted to start a similar arrangement. But, I am told, some money was collected and one of the leaders diverted it to other uses with Christmas in mind no doubt. Next was Liverpool, that sleeping giant of English football, whose local fans ventured into forming a branch. They did well and chose their executives, including some who seemingly love the Reds more than most patrons on Merseyside, in a seemingly organised atmosphere. But as soon as one long-time fan of the club heard about the development, he declared the executive committee illegal because he and others of his ilk had not been notified. It does not represent the whole of Uganda, he said - and the squabble has continued since. Not a word from Jinja or Mbale! Neither have we heard from those ardent followers of Leeds, Chelsea or Newcastle United! But you get the picture, the fans club culture is here. Benefits from the same include the club sending merchandise like jerseys, jackets, hoods and door-mats at subsidised rates and, the big one, a trip to Europe for the chairman - whoever they decide on - every year! So that leaves the independent observer wondering if all these wrangles are driven by love for the clubs or the related benefits from leading a fans club? Fellow Newcastle fans, I could do with a holiday in the North East of England! Ends.