Express FC head coach Wasswa Bbosa suggested at the start of the season that there was little or no excuse for the club not to win any silverware in the just concluded domestic football season.
"Even when we last won the league in 2012, there was not as much organisation as there is now," Bossa said as Betway announced the extension of their partnership with Express at the start of the season.
"So imagine what we can now do at Express where the conditions are the most favourable compared to all the clubs I have worked with,” Bbosa added.
It is hard to imagine many people paid attention or even believed his statement. But perhaps they should have.
Bbosa had previously worked as Sam Ssimbwa’s assistant as the Red Eagles won the 2012 league title before enduring spells with several financially constrained clubs.
This included two lean spells with Express before moving to rivals SC Villa where his side stayed in title contention for large periods of 2018/2018 before self-destructing.
Armed with all those experiences, Bbosa set out to assemble a championship-winning squad adding 18 new additions in the off-season.
These included major signings such as that of experienced Cranes defender Murushid who would eventually form a telepathic understanding with Isa Lumu.
Captain Enock Walusimbi was also signed up from Bright Stars to form a solid backline that also Arthur Kiggundu with goalkeeper Mathias Muwanga chosen as the club’s number one.
The five largely formed the basis of the best defensive line in the league despite the injury to Kiggundu and suspensions that often saw Sadiq Sekyembe and Denis Mubuya deputizing.
Express consequently conceded a paltry 13 goals throughout the league campaign the least in the division.
Upfront, George Senkaaba was in the form of his life having scored six goals in the opening 10 games including a sublime curler in the 1-0 win over traditional rivals SC Villa before disaster struck.
Senkaaba suffered multiple partial tears in his achilles during the first round 1-0 away win over his former club Kitara FC that kept him out until the league was called off with four games to go.
Up stepped Eric Kambale though.
After scoring just three goals in the first round, few thought he would be the player to lead the team’s title charge.
But the Congolese born forward came alive in the second half of the season netting braces against URA and Onduparaka to take his tally to seven.
These involved a sublime long-range left-footed effort against Onduparaka to add to a collection of wonderful goals that included a fine header from more than 12 yards out to clinch a 1-0 win over the Police.
He then seemed to embark on a one-man mission to deliver the first title to Wankulukuku since 2012 by plundering a further eight goals in five games in what turned out to be the final bend of the season.
They included a predatory hat-trick against Kyetume and the penalty that separated Express from UPDF.
There was also a well-taken double against Kitara and one in the 4-0 rout of Busoga United to return the glory days to Wankulukuku.
That took his tally to 12 second-round goals and 15 in total just one shy of top scorer Yunus Sentamu before the league was halted because of the Covid-19 situation.
The season also saw notable contributions from Godfrey Lwesibawa who contributed 10 goals and Martin Kizza who was signed at the start of the second round to a new dimension to the attack.
Attacker Charles Musiige was similarly impressive while Daniel Shabene, Mahad Kakooza, Abel Eturude and John Byamukama held their own in midfield to deliver a seventh league crown.
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