“Kasozi is one of those players I rate highly and can compare his playing style to that of Andrea Iniesta,” said Mike Mutebi, praising his new signing ahead of the trip to Onduparaka FC on October 17, 2018.
This, was going to be Kasozi’s first game for his new club – He had signed a three-year contract from SC Villa.
Two years later, with a season still on his contract, Kasozi leaves KCCA FC to join Kyetume after he was regarded as surplus to requirements.
We take a look at the dramatic turn of events as Kasozi and Mutebi’s bromance ended in bizarre.
Lack of Transparency on Sign-on fees
Mike Mutebi had earlier told the press that the move to buy Kasozi’s contract at Villa had cost the club around Sh70m.
There are UNCONFIRMED reports at Lugogo that coach Mutebi and Badru Kaddu levy sign-on fees from players and make them sign on documents with fees on contracts different from what they actually get.
“That is not true,” Deputy KCCA FC CEO Michael Kirunga refuted the claims. “All players sign on these agreements based on what is put in their contracts.”
Last year, the player reportedly started demanding Sh15M as balance of his sign-on fee.
To show his discontent, Kasozi went on a sit down strike, and early this year, Mutebi said that he is “not aware” of his midfielder’s whereabouts after Kasozi went AWOL.
Last year in September, he was left out of the team’s travelling contingent to Angola for CAF Champions League with the club saying that he was injured but he later on trained with Uganda Cranes’ locally based squad!
Training and Lifestyle
It is reported that Kasozi failed to handle the pressure and demands that comes with playing at KCCA FC as he lacked the “professional touch.”
Sources claim that the player had late arrivals on training which always annoyed Mike Mutebi.
Kasozi once had a confrontation with the club as he refused to train on the carpet twice a day, and he never wanted to spend a whole day at Lugogo.
Lugogo’s turf and its impact on the players’ healthy has always drawn a huge attention. A source has told The-SportsNation that Club Doctor Ivan Ssewanyana advised the coaches against double training sessions, but they have always kept a deaf ear.
Gift Ali’s Form
Gift Ali, playing in the central midfield role, fired on all cylinders and his rise rendered Kasozi surplus to requirements.
Coach Mutebi was not willing to use a double pivot in his system to accommodate both Kasozi and Gigi at once as it was the case at SC Villa where Kasozi could play with Abel Eturude.
KCCA FC fans always shouted at Mutebi for Kasozi’s introduction, and there were the same questions fired at the coach in press conferences, but this made it worse as the gaffer became more rigid.
With injury spells and frustrations of being left on the bench, and a said blocked move to join URA FC, Kasozi lost all the sharpens and failed to deliver even in some few games he was introduced in.
What They Said:
Former Kasozi Coach At Synergy FC (Brian Ssenyondo now at Mbarara City FC) on his conduct in training: Kasozi was always one of my beloved players, was focused committed and knew what he wanted in football and life in general. I know him as a down to earth boy who loves his job and has sacrificed a lot for football and to be a player he is. He was always on time during trainings and games, very respectful not only to me or the coaches but too his fellow players too. He was always wanted to help others first, serve others before self. Good at taking instructions, what you tell him, where you want him, that’s where he will go and you will find him. If he would miss training he would communicate in time.
Journalist John Vianney Nsimbe (Observe) via Twitter on Kasozi’s move from KCCA to Kyetume – This isn’t the kind of move, that benefits any party involved; maybe Kyetume are jumping sky high. But Kasozi and KCCA FC have jumbled up what should have been a very good developmental partnership. It is a lost opportunity on both sides. They needed each other.
