Born in 1991 and perhaps the most experienced player on the current Express squad, you would expect an understanding gaffer like Wasswa Bbosa who hustled a lot while playing for Uganda Cranes and Express FC, where fans even sometimes hurled insults at him, to sympathise with such a rapidly ageing player.
Wasswa Bbosa was an average player who, as a coach, would be now understanding why some players behave the way they do.
There is time for outstanding form and time for absolutely no form. Wasswa Bbosa should know.
Approaching thirty years of age and for long serving the most famous Club in Uganda diligently, you would expect such a player (of Kalanda’s caliber) to now be enjoying the fruits of his efforts.
Some pundits have compared Express FC to the NRM, the country’s ruling party. It is a well-known fact that the staunchest supporters of Museveni eat only crumbs when the real serving time has come.
Reliable contacts have told me that Express FC is now among the most moneyed Football Clubs in Uganda. It was not the case a few years ago when Kalanda had just joined the club.
He served amidst scarcity while Bbosa and CEO Isaac Mwesigwa where absent enjoying pasture sweeter than that one at Muteesa II stadium. Kalanda was at Wankulukuku, and scoring goals.
Dependable sources have informed our eagle-eyed contacts that now that Eric Kambale has started scoring, with sweeter-to-watch Martin Kizza supplying uncommon crosses to him (to score), Kalanda will remain a substitute forever.
Wasswa Bbosa has shown every sign that he moves with a bag containing his own players wherever he goes. No one can convince him into excluding them from the players he usually picks from, to start games.
Bbosa is a short tempered coach who barks at players while gnashing his teeth and slapping his palms, with the back of his hand. Bbosa shouts at players. I don’t know why.
He has insulted Kalanda on several occasions as Express fans looked on in disbelief. There are unprintable words that Bbosa said to Kalanda after a certain training session a few days after George Senkaaba had sustained an injury that would see him absent for almost six weeks.
These words against the fans’ darling Kalanda did not please those close there, after the session. Now that Godfrey Lwesibawa, Eric Kambale and Martin Kizza are fully fit and on form, Frank Kalanda may spend the rest of the season coming on as a substitute.
The sad news is that Kalanda is almost the oldest player at Express Football Club. The team is today well-sponsored and the boss himself (Kiryowa Kiwanuka) is pumping millions of money in the team.
Kalanda is feeling uneasy at the club at the moment.
The head coach never listens to him. He barks at him and abuses him every time the ball is passed to his feet. Kalanda is really a red eagle. He has been there when scarcity of resources was the biggest problem at the club.
Carrick Rajab (maaso) is among the fans that are not happy with Wasswa Bbosa’s treatment of quiet and disciplined Frank Kalanda. The red army is confused.