The Red Eagles will start the season with an away trip to FUFA Technical Centre in Njeru to play against the hosts BUL FC on Friday 30th August.
We talked to coach George Ssimwogerere on his preparations ahead of the tie and the entire season and below is what he said.
On the entire preparations ahead of the season which kicks off on Friday…
We have done well and put up a formidable team. We have not had any problems and the boys are ready to play football.
We have had a good preseason we have traveled a lot to play games and put the boys together to know each other since most of them are new and to make them love Express as a team and get hungry to get three points when we are playing games. They have to get that team spirit to play for this club for a long time.
The squad he has fits in the shoes of playing for Express as a former Express player and captain…
There might be a difference because before we used to have big players but not belonging to Express so the big problem I found here is that you can be with a player who is good but belonging to a person.
When I joined this club (as a player) I came from Bika Football Tournament I was just 17 and I was coached to love Express and it’s values and what I did for this club somehow helped to put it where it is now. So what I have tried to do is to get those young boys who will play for this club 4-5 years then they will get the team spirit to fight for this club on the pitch but getting so-called-good players who will only play for you for six months doesn’t help because when you need him most he will say I’m leaving and you have nothing to do about it either you invest so much in a single player or you let him go free of charge. Asking whether this squad fits in Express, no squad does so but what fits is getting people who will do the job and love the club. That’s the main thing we have to be patient and build our own players like KCCA did. They got senior players and disturbed them until when they went back to their ways which brought the likes of Musenze, Mastiko and they built a team so I’m trying to do that as well the same way I was nurtured is the way I want to nurture players here. They will be quality players very soon.
The good thing is that me and the Express leadership we are on the same page. I told them that we need the boys from the junior team to play with us and so far I have 5 boys and they told me that we shall use them in our team and there are those who are knocking on the door to be even in the starting eleven we have tried to play with them and won some seven-aside tournaments which showed me they are capable to play there are even some who went to AFCON Under 17 so I can not release them because we have built them and we also have some goalkeepers from the junior side who are good.
On whether they have a plan for the under 17 team in their technical set up…
We very much have it and they have a new head coach who is qualified and we work together with all coaches and we have made some partnerships with some schools for Express the boys can get sponsorships from those school to keep them there as they grow.
On his Captain next season…
The way I was brought up is the way I do things in life. When I was at Express we had over four captains, me, Robert Aloro, James Kirinya, Kennedy Lubogo and Isaac Nkaada (Iron man) and I was their leader I also selected four captains and I’m still studying them to see who will lead the others. All of them are doing the responsibilities I gave them and I will select the overall very soon who will help us going forward.
On going back to Njeru to play against BUL where his latest Express coaching stint started…
It’s an advantage that we are going back there where we started and I was missing some players like Tony Odur and others but as I prepare my team I don’t rely on a single player or a couple of players that is why I have 28 players who are ready to do the job. I saw BUL playing against KCCA they have good players but not exceptional I hope we shall give them a hard time and even possibly get three points from them.
On his goalkeeping department, keeping Kyamera and Muwanga and where they will take us…
I have those two keepers I have seen play which is good. Kyamera still has a problem he hasn’t picked to the standard I want him but I will change him because he is a young boy from Buddo SSS then I have signed another keeper to add on the two and he can deliver as well so on the three I will select one to play on Friday I’m not depending on Muwanga or Kyamera the other is also good and can give them a challenge.
On their plan to mould the talent of Tony Kyamera despite the fans’ pressure and high expectations…
He is a good player and for the time I have been with him I have seen his weak points which can be worked on. The fans put him on pressure may be because of his physique he appears to be a mature player and he is determined but there are some small elements he has which we must help him get rid of and I have already started doing that so I am building him to know what he really is before that he won’t be the player he must be.
People say every time he is in goal we concede but now I know his weaknesses and we shall work on them.
On what the fans should expect this season…
The fans should come and support their team. This is the team they will be with for many years to come knowing even their starting eleven like they used to know during our era that Ssimwogerere is in right back, another player in left back not to be with people who leave the club every year, six months so we have to build a team and they have to be patient. We want a team which will take us for 10 years to come even someone in Masaka must be able to pick the line up of Express. Like during our times people knew Ssimwogerere is there, Aloro, Kirumira, Lubogo now even five Express players you may fail to name them even when a player passes in Kikuubo lane he can not be recognized as an Express player unlike during our days when everyone knew who we were. A player joins us, after six months he goes to BUL, then KCCA. That’s not the Express we want, fans should understand what we want to do and give us support. Us, the leaders and fans we know what we want, to win and a good team so we have to be together. Some fans have been watching our preparations and saw our recruitment some brought players and some were good, some not so it’s not easy but when the season starts we have to be together and help Express move forward.
EXPRESS FC 2019-2020 SQUAD.
Mathias Muwanga , Tonny Kyamera , Joshua Adea, Disan Galiwango, Emmanuel Baffoe, Shafiq Avemah, Isaac Doka, Hamis Batega, David Kakeeto, Idris Kaye, Frank Kalanda, Cruise Kibande, Andrew Kiwanuka, Lawrence Kigonya, Martin Kizza, Axel Konan, Joshua Musoke, Peter Mutebi, Hamdan Nsubuga, Ivan Ocholit, Enock Ssebagala, Sadiq Ssekyembe, Daniel Shabena, Joshua Ssentambule, Frank Ssenyondo, Dennis Sserukwaya, Muhammad Yiga, Joseph Zziwa.
