Simba's Robertinho face bitter Vipers reunion

Kampala,

Roberto Oliveira aka Robertinho must drive the dagger deep into his former employers Vipers' hearts to hold on to his job at Simba.

And such is the cruel nature of football. Before he threw in the towel on December 29 last year, the Brazilian and the Venoms were inseparable darlings after pulling off a historic CAF Champions’ League group stage feat.

With the Venoms for a year and half, the 62-year-old Brazilian lived a charmed life with owners thrilled by instant domestic success and adoring fans singing along.

Since his unveiling in Tanzania with Msimbazi giants in January, ferocious scrutiny, demand for quick success and a mandate to leapfrog rivals and league leaders Yanga have proved a load too heavy to carry.

Robertinho's Simba sit second on the Tanzanian NBC Premier League table, eight points adrift of Yanga but the cardinal sin that might precipitate his early axing is the awful Caf Champions League group C outing that saw them lose to Raja Casablanca (Morocco) and Horoya of Guinea to remain at the bottom of the table.

Robertinho who has since been in charge of six competitive games - managing three wins, two losses and one draw, pledged a Caf quarterfinal berth for Simba as he inked a two-year contract.

“I always believe in good plans. If you have good plans, you can reach the semi-finals and may be even the final. It will be possible while I'm here at Simba,” he said.

His redemption ought to start tomorrow at the St Mary's Stadium-Kitende else he joins a growing list of six mercenary gaffers discarded by Simba in less than five years.

Lest it is forgotten, Robertinho dearly misses his erstwhile deputy and countryman Marcelo Cardoso who always bolstered his tactical bag but the two inexplicably parted ways towards the end of his Kitende reign.

Insider's job

Simba chairman Murtaza Mangungu admitted that they fell over for Robertinho due to his impressive résumé and 'knowledge of East African football'.

“Robertinho is a coach with a great profile and we have big goals and that is why we have taken him. He has a lot of experience in East African football which  also attracted us,” he stressed.

Indeed a month can be a long time in football. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since Robertinho mastered 42 wins, 10 draws and 4 defeats in 56 competitive matches for Vipers.

The new dawn includes six new faces - Miguel Lutumba Martin Kizza, Karim Ndugwa, Serge Robert Mwenge and Desire Tety.

Like Robertinho, his replacement and compatriot Beto Bianchi is still struggling for team identify, dress room control and command at the continent.

That said, the former Gor Mahia, Stade Tunisien and Rayon Sport coach will be greeted by many other familiar faces of local players that have shoved the imported none performing 'mercenaries' to the periphery.

Patience plea, Samia’s pledge

After the Raja Casablanca 3-0 annihilation at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium last week, Robertinho pleaded for patience because he had less time in pre-season to get the team tactics right.

"We have got good experience. We have to forget this game and plan for Vipers next," he told the press.

Simba arrive in Kampala buoyed by the Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan Sh5 million offer pledged for every goal netted by the team and Yanga (in Caf Confederation Cup).