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Bond renewal as Police make Mawejje swoop
Mawejje (C) bossing the midfield for Police FC against US-based Cranes international Michael Azira (L) and retired Stephen Bengo back in 2007. Mawejje wants to dictate pace again. PHOTO/EDDIE CHICCO
By extending his contract at Police for a further three seasons last week, coach Abdallah Mubiru spoke of the need to build a competitive team that would consequently go on to vie for the Uganda Premier League title.
The club, on Monday, delivered a major statement of intent in that direction by announcing the signing of former Cranes midfielder Tony Mawejje.
Mubiru believes his acquisition will help provide direction and add a competitive edge to his team.
“He obviously adds experience to the team but he is also very competitive which will I expect to rub off on the rest of the team,” Mubiru said of his new signing who returns home after more than a decade abroad.
“Most importantly he’s been active and basing on his immense ability should fit into our style of play,” Mubiru further states about Mawejje who severed ties with Al-Arabi Sports from Kuwait before opting to return home.
While his move is a surprise to some, the relationship between the player and club always be rendered that a possibility.
“Both me and Police were interested. It is a club I have played for, have good relationship with some top officials and the coach himself so I definitely love to come play for and end my career there,” Mawejje intimated to the Daily Monitor.
Adding assuredness
With the ability to control the tempo of games, Mawejje is expected to add assuredness to a Police midfield alongside the enterprising Yusuf Ssozi who Mubiru expects to benefit from the extended league break after suffering a long term injury midway through last season.
Mawejje returns to the club 14 years after helping the club to its biggest achievement, the 2006 Cecafa title before a successful career that has seen him play in Iceland, South Africa, Albania, Norway and lately in Kuwait.
He also played for the Cranes for over a decade and last donned national team colours at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals held in Gabon hinted he harbours no hopes of a return.
“There is a crop of young players now that took over.
I come with no intentions of going back to Cranes but to inspire the young ones instead,” he stated.
A difficult task seems to await him with the club having narrowly survived relegation last season in which they finished 13th with 25 points, one ahead of the third and final relegation position.
