SUPERLEAGUE KICK-OFF

By Norman Katende and Douglas Mazune

SUPER LEAGUE KICK-OFF
Friday, 6pm
SC Villa v Express
Live on GTV

The kick-off of the 2007-8 Ugandan soccer Super League has been set for 6pm.

SC Villa, Express, pay- television GTV, soccer governing body FUFA and hosts Mandela Stadium were locked in a meeting in Kampala late yesterday, that agreed on the evening kick-off.

Friday’s game will be the first time in Ugandan sports history that a league match is telecast live on television.

The game will be watched across the continent and in England. GTV television crew tested the Namboole floodlights for two hours on Saturday.

Leading soccer analysts led by The New Vision’s Aldrine Nsubuga, will give the commentary of the game from Namboole starting at 5.30pm.

Nsubuga, Mark Ssali and Allan Ssekamatte have just returned from a television commentary and analysis course in London, courtesy of GTV.

Yesterday’s meeting started as a pre-match meeting, with 16-time league champions Villa and five-time champions Express agreeing on security, ticket sales, colour of uniforms and kick-off time.

GTV consultant Neil Mackenzie, FUFA competitions committee secretary Eng. Moses Magogo, marketing committee official Dennis Mbidde, Villa’s Luyimbazi Mugalu and Express’ Peter Mubanda and FUFA security officer Samuel Lwere attended the meeting.

FUFA officials rubbished reports that Mandela stadium management were not informed about the kick-off. Mandela stadium reportedly first wanted to see the contract signed by FUFA and GTV, before they accepted any offers to host the league.

“Someone at Namboole must be getting excited. We had a meeting with Express, Villa and Namboole early last week, then visited again on Saturday,” the official said. “The lights were tested on Saturday at the full inspection of Namboole for two hours, at a cost of almost sh2m. How and why would we be paying that if Namboole did not know about the kick-off?”

Earlier in the day, GTV general manager Daniel Kagwe made an impromptu visit to Namboole, worried about the reported new stand by the stadium.

Today, Villa will shift its daily training programme from Villa Park to Namboole, where they will have a feel of playing under floodlights for 15 minutes.

Prodigal son Oscar Kadenge is back to help give Villa a fresh start to this season’s league. The striker deserted Villa mid last season for Rwanda, but is among many players that have returned.

GTV deal
- Sh32m each club annually
- Sh26m for champion
- Each club 2 games on tv
- All Players to have permanent shirt numbers
- Best players win Sh17m