The chances that a newly promoted team will survive relegation are as high as hoping to find a nun in Club Obbligato jigging away at 3a.m.

As they came, apart from Nalubaale, is the way they returned: Maroons, Biharwe, CRO and Ediofe. So why is that the case?
"The new teams are intimidated by the Super League because they're normally young players. Others, once they play well at the start and the big teams start talking about them, they lose their game," reasoned David Otti, former coach of CRO.

But it all boils down to confidence. Young players aren't confident enough to help a team keep afloat in the topflight as Maroons showed. But Maroons football director Mike Mutebi responded: "Our ideology is to bring forth a new crop of players and help them learn."

Mutebi's philosophy has always been youth because he believes that the old players have little drive since they have nothing to prove.

But such a move has its downfall. As Maroons stuck to youth, Nalubaale went for experience. The Buikwe side recruited experienced legs in Phillip Obwin, Geoffrey Serunkuma and Eritrean star Bebasy Okubazigi in mid-season. They as a result secured results against Villa and Express among others to be glued in mid-table. Isaac Mukasa, Nalubaale's CEO said that experienced players steadied their ship and added confidence.

With other seasoned campaigners and winners in Emmanuel Balyejusa, Muhammed Byansi and David Kiwanuka, Nalubaale staved off relegation.

For the record, KCC FC won their eighth Super League title after Police FC held SC Villa to a goalless draw and the Yellows beat Bunamwaya 2-0, Tuesday.

It was a remarkable achievement for KCC coach George Nsimbe who won 12 of the 13 matches he was in charge.
jovi@ugandaobserver.com

Top performers

Champions: KCC FC
Relegated: Maroons, CRO, Biharwe, Ediofe
Top scorer: Bruno Olobo (Simba) and Brian Umony (KCC). 15. (Olobo still has a game left)
Best goalkeeper: Sam Kawalya. (Just ahead of Abel Dhaira)
Flop of the season: Andrew Nkurunugi (Villa)
Find of the seaon: (Umony, Willy Kavuma, Ayub Kisalita)
Best coach: George Nsimbe
Best XI: S. Kawalya; S. Masaba, G. Walusimbi, O. Hitmana, E. Ssali; D. Mubiru, D. Wagaluka, W. Kavuma; Umony, Kavuma, Bengo