KCCA board divided on Byekwaso

FOOTBALL KCCA board divided on Byekwaso

Shafic Kiyaga 21:47 - 09.04.2023

Byekwaso faces a fight to convince certain figures at the club that he has the authority to turn around what has become a disastrous run of results that leaves his future under a cloud.

KCCA FC boss Morley Byekwaso appears to be facing a battle to keep his job, as pressure continues to mount over his tenure at the MTN Omondi Stadium in Lugogo.

Pulse Sports understands that the club’s board is divided on the immediate future of the coach as the season enters a critical period with KCCA still within touching distance of the two trophies available.

Byekwaso faces a fight to convince certain figures at the club that he has the authority to turn around what has become a disastrous run of results that leaves his future under a cloud.

The Kasasiro Boys currently sit second in the StarTimes Uganda Premier League, on 38 points, five points behind leaders SC Villa, and with two games in hand.

They are also into the quarter finals of the Stanbic Uganda Cup, and face a home tie against Soltilo Bright Stars next Sunday.

There is still hope that a strong end to the season could see the side deliver one of the two trophies and get themselves into one of the two continental competitions next season.

Crucially, chairman Martin Ssekajja is understood to be among the most supportive of Byekwaso behind the scenes, as he continues to back his first coaching appointment.

Ssekajja’s skepticism is borne out of the way Byekwaso dealt with the difficult moments at the start of the season.

He believes that a change in the technical department would set the team’s development and drive to attain one of their set ambitions back.

However, that level of commitment to Byekwaso is not a universally held view at Lugogo with emerging doubts from other areas of the club.

Board members led by Joseph Kirimani are convinced that there is little he could do to change the situation.

And there were several shaking heads and dissenting voices in the main VIP area at full time as KCCA were held to a 1-1 home draw against UPDF FC at Lugogo on Sunday evening.

Douglas Oyirwoth scored a late equalizer for UPDF to cancel out Tshisungu Kankonde’s headers and ensure spoils were shared on Easter Sunday.

The game, which was the first ever played under flood lights at Lugogo, also saw club fans turn up in black attires to show their discontent with the club’s direction.

KCCA has now collected only three of the last nine available points in the league, which has seen them drop into second allowing rivals SC Villa has opened up a five-point lead at the top.

The Kasasiro Boys have been held to three consecutive draws, with the last two coming against teams inside the bottom four.

Victory against Bright Stars in the Uganda Cup quarter finals will help alleviate pressure on Byekwaso ahead of their next league game away to URA FC on April 19.

Two negative results however, could leave Byekwaso in jeopardy and add to concerns about the former KCCA midfielder’s suitability going forward.

KCCA turned to Byekwaso in July 2021, after three months as interim manager at the club. And was deemed the ideal candidate to replace Mike Mutebi. He still has 15 months to go on his three-year contract, that runs until June 2024.