Vipers Sports Club has announced Edward Golola as their new manager for the upcoming 2019/ 2020 premier league season.
Edward Golola is now the club’s new coach replacing interim manager, Michael Nam Ouma who left the position after his 6-month contract expired last month and was not renewed.
He will be deputised by Richard Wasswa, who returns to the club for his third spell.
“As the executive, we can confirm Edward Golola as our next coach and we will give him all the support he needs this season,” Club President Dr Lawrence Mulindwa told the players during a Saturday 27th July morning training session at St Mary’s Stadium.
The club’s technical team that was dissolved earlier has also been reappointed with Ram Nyakana Mpuga (fitness coach), Edward Ssali (second assistant coach), Mathius Kassagga (physiotherapist) and Moses Oloya as goalkeeping coach
This now means that Golola will return to the Entebbe based club for his third stint (2009-2011, 2014-2015) at the helm having served as an assistant coach to Portuguese tactician Miguel Da Costa (2017-2018) and Kenyan Michael Nam Ouma (half 2019).
“I am immensely proud to be returning as head coach. Everyone knows my love for this club and the history we have shared, however, my sole focus is on the job in hand and preparing for the season ahead,” Golola pinpointed.
Golola’s first game in charge will be in Pilsner Super 8 tournament against Proline FC at StarTimes Stadium, Lugogo on July 31st.
Pilsner Super 8 tournament is competition played before every upcoming Startimes Uganda Premier League season.
It is a trophy tournament contested for by eight teams -This year’s teams include Proline Fc, KCCA Fc, Mbarara City Fc, Vipers SC, Onduparaka Fc, Tooro United, Wakiso Giants and URA Fc.
A trophy for Vipers SC in the Super 8 will provide the perfect impetus marching into the 2019/ 2020 season.
Club’s History
Vipers SC is a football club based in Kitende near Kajjansi, Uganda. The club was founded as Bunamwaya FC in 1969.
Vipers SC has played in the Uganda Premier League since 2006 after winning the Wakiso District and Super Mini League promotion league in 2005, finishing in the top half of the table every year since then.
With the backing of the by then federation president Lawrence Mulindwa, now the club’s owner, the club signed several important players for the 2010 season, including seven members of the Ugandan National Team.
Bunamwaya won their first-ever Uganda Premier League title with two rounds to spare but they did not participate in the 2011 CAF Champions League for financial reasons.
Bunamwaya were unable to replicate their success, finishing 3rd in 2011 and finishing runners up in both the cup and the league in 2012.
On 21 August 2012, Bunamwaya was then renamed to Vipers SC to elevate the status of the club and make them more nationally relevant.
Vipers lost the 2013 Uganda Cup final heartbreakingly. After taking the lead in the 78th minute on a Joseph Mprade penalty, Victoria University scored a goal in the final seconds of the match and then went on to win the penalty kick shootout 5–3.
League success finally came again in the 2014–15 season after a league campaign which saw Vipers lose only once. The championship found Vipers in continental competition for the first time.
In the 2016 CAF Champions League, they lost their first-ever continental tie 2–1 on aggregate to Enyimba FC of Nigeria in the preliminary round.
Vipers finished runners up in the 2015–16 season but saw their first-ever success in the Uganda Cup, beating Onduparaka FC 3–1.
The win qualified them for the 2017 CAF Confederation Cup where they beat Volcan Club from Comoros 1–1 on away goals in the preliminary round but fell to South African
Platinum Stars in the first round 3–2 on aggregate after conceding a 90th-minute penalty.
Having had a poor campaign both in the league and Uganda cup in the 2018-19 season, the club’s dream to participate yet again in the upcoming CAF Champions League was shattered.
Stadium
They play at St Mary’s Stadium Kitende, which has a capacity of 20,000. The stadium was completely refurbished in 2018 and includes artificial turf as well as a first-class gym.
Achievements
Ugandan Premier League : 3
2010, 2015, 2017–2018
Ugandan Cup: 2016
By John Dalton Kigozi
