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The 29-year-old roving left-back who features for Tanzanian money bags Singida Fountain Gate FC explains that the StarTimes Uganda Premier League has moderately improved over the years.
With many wondering why the Ugandan Premier League is struggling to stand toe to toe with other leagues like in next door Tanzania, Cranes defender Shafik Batambuze has broken his silence on the issue.
The 29-year-old roving left-back who features for Tanzanian money bags Singida Fountain Gate FC explains that the StarTimes Uganda Premier League has moderately improved over the years.
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06:20 - 21.06.2023
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Batamuze, who is currently on the books of Sindiga Fountain Gate FC, played under the Portuguese tactician in the Tanzanian second tier as the side battled to earn promotion to the top flight in 2022 and states that KCCA FC got the right person for the job.
But there is a need to go a step higher like other leagues, especially the Tanzanian league.
“Our (Uganda) league has improved over the years, but I think it still has a few things they have to iron out for the league to blossom like some clubs fulfilling their contractual obligations with players,” Batambuze told Pulse Sports.
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“If all clubs paid players on time, supported them to regain their fitness after injuries and also the Government provided more facilities, it would go a long way because that’s the difference with other top leagues.”
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In February 2023, the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) ranked the Tanzanian Premier League as the fifth strongest league on the continent, coming before Egypt, Algeria and Morocco.
South Africa’s Premier Soccer League came in sixth, while Angola, Tunisia, Nigeria and Zambia completed the top ten list accordingly.
Batambuze, who featured prominently for Singida Fountain Gate FC as they finished fourth place and reached the semifinals of the Azam Sports Federation Cup, where they lost to Khalid Aucho’s Young Africans, also credits Ugandan coaches Matia Lule and Steven Billy Kiggundu for their effort during the season.
“We did well last season, our first in the Tanzanian top flight; I also felt good working with my Ugandan coaches, who did a great job; we are now going to play continental football which is huge,” he noted.
Matia Lule, the former Uganda Cranes assistant coach, serves in the same capacity at Singida Fountain Gate FC, while Steven Kiggundu Billy is the goalkeeper coach.
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