Post by Holyjoe on Oct 25, 2004 22:47:25 GMT -5
Seeing as we've adopted Uganda as our new cuddly loveable country, here's an interesting article about Ugandan football:
Is he talking about Korean football or Ugandan football?
Why the Namboole crowd?
www.ugandaobserver.com/today/sports/sport200410212.php
On October 10, more than 50,000 people watched the Cranes-Bafana match at Mandela National Stadium a record attendance at a football match in Uganda. Seven days later, SC Villa and KCC clashed before barely 500 fans at Nakivubo Stadium.
The Namboole crowd beat the more than 40,000 that watched the Uganda Cranes-Rwanda encounter on the same turf on June 7, 2003. This is a rare story in our football. But it gives one a bad feeling about Uganda's football, though the zealous optimists may see it as a return of the past glory.
Mandela National Stadium, a.k.a. Namboole, is Uganda's biggest stadium, seating 40,200 fans, compared to Nakivubo Stadium's 15,000.
Elsewhere it's not a big issue: Kenya's Moi Sports Centre, Kasarani, seats 60,000 fans, and in 1997 when Kenya hosted Nigeria's Super Eagles, at least 80,000 people watched game.
Yet the Bafana game created another first - Ugandan soccer authorities closing gates on spectators because the stadium is full.
There are lessons in this. As fans trooped out of the stadium, we were left wondering why our local league matches are played before empty terraces.
There is a whole section of soccer lovers who had snapped the game but turned up at the Cranes-Bafana match ?the middle class (or Uganda's equivalent thereof).
From the terraces, you could see self-respecting fans (civil servants and businesspeople) watching the game. These are people who readily pay to watch a good game, not the type who indulge in crowd violence.
There are several reasons for the big turn-up. First, Bafana is a professional side. Secondly, the match somehow was well organised (by the Cranes committee), and well publicised.
The Bafana match grossed Shs 304 million compared to Rwanda's Shs 245 million. Our Super League gate collections have plummeted, even for leaders SC Villa, KCC and Express.
Saturday's match between Villa and KCC grossed Shs 1.6 million, compared to Shs 51.3 million in 1999. This tells volumes about football administration. People running our game are wanting in personal and professional integrity. For instance, some of the people who watched the Bafana match may never return because they were pushed and trampled on at the gates. Officials left it dangerously late to close the gates.
Gone are days when we had administrators in the likes of Minister Gerald Sendaula, Balamaze Lwanga, Bidandi Ssali, Patrick Kawooya, Patrick Kiwanuka, Jimmy Semugabi, Vincent Bbale Mugera, Joseph Kiwanuka, etc. - people who had reputations to protect.
These civil servants and businesspeople also knew how to run their teams and take good care of their players. Players themselves were men of substance.
Having a majority of players wanting in personal ambition, discipline and vision compounds the mess. You have players who come on as substitutes, but are taking an evening walk on the pitch.
Isn't it time the middle class returned to take over football administration give our game a sense of direction at all levels?
www.ugandaobserver.com/today/sports/sport200410212.php
On October 10, more than 50,000 people watched the Cranes-Bafana match at Mandela National Stadium a record attendance at a football match in Uganda. Seven days later, SC Villa and KCC clashed before barely 500 fans at Nakivubo Stadium.
The Namboole crowd beat the more than 40,000 that watched the Uganda Cranes-Rwanda encounter on the same turf on June 7, 2003. This is a rare story in our football. But it gives one a bad feeling about Uganda's football, though the zealous optimists may see it as a return of the past glory.
Mandela National Stadium, a.k.a. Namboole, is Uganda's biggest stadium, seating 40,200 fans, compared to Nakivubo Stadium's 15,000.
Elsewhere it's not a big issue: Kenya's Moi Sports Centre, Kasarani, seats 60,000 fans, and in 1997 when Kenya hosted Nigeria's Super Eagles, at least 80,000 people watched game.
Yet the Bafana game created another first - Ugandan soccer authorities closing gates on spectators because the stadium is full.
There are lessons in this. As fans trooped out of the stadium, we were left wondering why our local league matches are played before empty terraces.
There is a whole section of soccer lovers who had snapped the game but turned up at the Cranes-Bafana match ?the middle class (or Uganda's equivalent thereof).
From the terraces, you could see self-respecting fans (civil servants and businesspeople) watching the game. These are people who readily pay to watch a good game, not the type who indulge in crowd violence.
There are several reasons for the big turn-up. First, Bafana is a professional side. Secondly, the match somehow was well organised (by the Cranes committee), and well publicised.
The Bafana match grossed Shs 304 million compared to Rwanda's Shs 245 million. Our Super League gate collections have plummeted, even for leaders SC Villa, KCC and Express.
Saturday's match between Villa and KCC grossed Shs 1.6 million, compared to Shs 51.3 million in 1999. This tells volumes about football administration. People running our game are wanting in personal and professional integrity. For instance, some of the people who watched the Bafana match may never return because they were pushed and trampled on at the gates. Officials left it dangerously late to close the gates.
Gone are days when we had administrators in the likes of Minister Gerald Sendaula, Balamaze Lwanga, Bidandi Ssali, Patrick Kawooya, Patrick Kiwanuka, Jimmy Semugabi, Vincent Bbale Mugera, Joseph Kiwanuka, etc. - people who had reputations to protect.
These civil servants and businesspeople also knew how to run their teams and take good care of their players. Players themselves were men of substance.
Having a majority of players wanting in personal ambition, discipline and vision compounds the mess. You have players who come on as substitutes, but are taking an evening walk on the pitch.
Isn't it time the middle class returned to take over football administration give our game a sense of direction at all levels?
Is he talking about Korean football or Ugandan football?
