By George Bukenya
FUFA President Moses Magogo has defended Uganda Premier (UPL) League new format amid mixed reactions by the football fraternity.
He says that FUFA has engaged the UPL clubs’ high level management and no single clubs have rejected the format but some are only criticizing the timing and engagements will continue.
“ The ideas of reforms came from clubs because they wanted to enhance competition for the players and improve the product of football so as to attract better numbers of fans into stadia.’’ Eng. Magogo explained.
He rubbished allegations that FUFA got the funding from some betting company and that it’s UEAFA that is imposing such format to Uganda having donated equipments to the local governing body sometime back.
“ We have not gotten any funding elsewhere and we are not being influenced by any foreign body but it’s our local idea and we saved funds to cater for the new league format with the last three years.’’ He said.
He further said,“ the technical master plan hinges on four pillars, the first being talent identification, through mass football, re-organizing club football and re-engineering the development of players, catering for ex-players and ex-referees.’’
Magogo also revealed that that clubs will bag a minimum of UGX 162m and a maximum of UGX 260m basing on the performance and this will help improve the competitiveness in the game.
The Federation’s Vice President Nakiwala Kiyingi also argued journalists to support the league and the players as well as ensuring hospitality and promotion of football at large.
In the new format there will be three rounds and in the 1st and 2nd round each club 25m in each of the rounds and 30m in the last and final round of the season totaling to 80m in addition to the 80m which each club bags from Star Times Uganda the official league sponsor.