A new dawn at Express
Jul 01, 2015
They finished a distant eighth in the Azam Uganda Premier League last season, got bundled out of the Uganda Cup in the first round, had to contend with a player revolt for non-payment of wages and at the close of the season they lost almost all the first team players.
By Sabiiti Muwanga
They finished a distant eighth in the Azam Uganda Premier League last season, got bundled out of the Uganda Cup in the first round, had to contend with a player revolt for non-payment of wages and at the close of the season they lost almost all the first team players.
Much as many soccer fans could be wondering what will happen to Express in the new season, there appears to be a new era dawning at Wankulukuku, according to executive committee chairman Francis Ntalazi.
In an interview on Wednesday, Ntalazi was full of hope and confidence that the Red Eagles were destined to return to their glory days.
“Indeed we lost some of our best players because they were not on contract, we could not afford at the time. But in equal measure we have recruited new ones whom I think are good, or even better players and we are prepared,” said Ntalazi as the team started training for the forthcoming season on Wednesday.
Express FC chairman Francis Ntalazi
Ntalazi, who had threatened to leave the executive at the end of last season if the board, led by Bbaale Mugera did not respond to certain conditions, explained that all was well at present and the future was bright.
“The board is very cooperative and as I talk now, we have mobilised enough resources to put all our players on contract. And we are looking at contracts of two or more years,” Ntalazi, flanked by newly recruited club CEO Ram Abubakr Hadji, disclosed.
He added that in the near future they are going to unveil corporate companies that have come on board to bankroll the club.
Hadji, a business development consultant and who confessed he has been an Express fan since he was about seven years, said a lot has been put in place to rebuild the Wankulukuku outfit.
“This did not start today. We started way back even before last season concluded. We have and are still registering fans, we are starting to open branches and a lot more that we shall unveil when the time comes,” he promised.
The club has an invitation to play a pre-season friendly with Sudan’s el Hilal and, according to Hadji, they are also planning friendlies with clubs from Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.
On the task ahead, the youthful executive said he has had a chance as an intern, to work with teams like Paris St. Germain (France), Real Betis (Spain) and Twente (Netherlands).
“We can copy from them. Our main problem here is lack of structures and systems,” he explained.
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