SEASON PREVIEW - Mbalangu seeks to keep Nec afloat

"Over time, the very good results against the opponents triggered members’ consciousness to mobilize and get registered under association football (FUFA),” the club’s portal narrates. They registered for the Nakawa District Fifth Division league in 2017.

Rapid rise

Their ambitious bankrollers have overseen a smooth and steady climb that has seen the club spend only a season in each lower-tier league from the fifth division in 2017.

Bar from the Covid-19 break that ended the 2019/20 Nakawa fourth division prematurely, it has been an easy ride for ‘The Diehards’ in the lower levels. They were finally awakened to the realities of the demanding topflight football in the Fufa Big League last season.

The team, then under coach Michael ‘Skills’ Lukyamuzi, faced stiff competition from former topflight sides Kitara, Mbarara City and Police before pipping the latter on the final day to the last available slot.

Lukyamuzi stepped down because of a lack of the minimum coaching credentials before the club settled for Hussein Mbalangu.

Once bitten …

Mbalangu knows well the task ahead of him with the memories of an unfortunate gamble with Blacks Power last season fresh in his mind.

The coach was tasked with the Lira job four match days into the season but was unable to save the ship from sinking, mustering only six wins and eight draws to fall narrowly by a point.

Blacks Power’s downfall has more than a lesson to Mbalangu and Nec, who have a negative omen to deal with psychologically.

None of the last seven debutants has managed to retain their top-flight status beyond a season.

Masavu went down on their debut in 2017/18, Nyamityobora, Ndejje University and Paidha Black Angels were relegated after a season in 2018/19.

Myda and the returning Kitara went down in 2020/21 before Blacks Power fell to the same fate last season.

“Blacks Power’s financial challenges and then my arrival when the team had finished signing players was our majour undoing but I picked some valuable lessons and can confidently say that these [Nec’s new arrivals] are my own; the club is also in a good shape [financially],” Mbalangu told Daily Monitor after their 1-1 draw away to Gaddafi in their 17th build-up match last Thursday.

“We retained some good players and added experience that we believe can help us to retain our status in the league,” he believes.

The club has retained several old guards including captain Marvin Kavuma, their best player and main striker last season with 14 goals, veteran Geoffrey Sserunkuma, Brian Mato and Shamir Kimwero.

They’ve parted ways with some key players but added experienced legs in Rashid Okocha, goalkeeper Isma Maganda (Proline), Ibrahim Thembo, Joseph Dhata and Enock Ssebagala from Express.

New home

Nec bordered their success in the Fufa Big League on a strong performance at their home turf at the Coffee Grounds in Bugolobi but will move to the Philip Omondi Stadium at Lugogo this season.

In Bugolobi, the club managed to collect 36 of their 57 points, losing only once and two draws.

However, Lugogo’s artificial turf will present a different challenge.

“We have a good number of days to train on the turf and work on the psychology to make it our fortress as well. We are not in this to fight relegation but a respectable position at the end of the season,” Mbalangu says.

Both Police and Proline, who have shared the turf with KCCA, have dropped to the lower leagues.

With all said, Mbalangu and Nec have only one mission: fight for Survival!

Club profile

Name – Nec Football Club

Chairman – Eng. Brian Muhanda

Chief Executive Officer – Ahmed Rajab Sakali

Captain – Marvin Kavuma

Head coach – Hussein Mbalangu

Home ground - Philip Omondi Stadium, Lugogo

Position last season (Fufa Big League) - 3rd