Record National Basketball League champions Falcons last month suffered the ultimate disgrace- that of being relegated from the top tier.
Falcons has just been relegated. Did you see that coming?
For that I was clear even to my fellow directors at the club, I openly told them Falcons will be relegated by the end of this season and it happened. So to me it’s not by surprise that the team is where it is right now. And all faults rotates around the top management of the club.
The rest, like bringing back a winning mentality, sponsorships among others can be sorted if we first define the Falcons ownership. But also over the years the level of competition has totally changed, teams like City Oilers, KIU Power, Warriors, UCU have a budget of about Shs200m and us we have Shs60m. How can you compete with them? With our budget we deserve to be where we are.
Why that wasn’t immediately sorted before the season tipped off?
Time time, time and timing. It’s the hallmark of organisations. My view wasn’t considered on time. But since the team is now in the lower division, in two weeks’ time we shall have a board meeting and see things resolved.
What did it feel like when it actually happened considering the history of the club?
I told you to me this didn’t come by surprise, but this doesn’t mean that the situation was not unfortunate because Falcons is a big club.
Do you feel like this will be a stain on you as the president at the time the club got relegated?
The dust eventually settles after everything happens. Relegation is not the worst thing to happen at Falcons There have been worse times. However, a few things need to happen if Falcons are to survive extinction.
Do you have any plans of stepping down as president or any plans of selling the club?
Stepping down is not my problem, I can do it. Basketball is not like football where owners can at least generate some money. Me being at Falcons is all about passion for the game. And on the issue of selling the club, it is an option if you [have] got willing buyers.
As you prepare for life in the lower division, don’t you worry that some of your sponsors will walk away?
No. In 2011 Blue Cube left us but we got new sponsors and won the league back to back. I am into advertising business; I know what it takes to get sponsors. Some teams in the lower division have sponsors so that’s not a big deal.
Talking sponsors, there have been claims that sponsorship money didn’t trickle down to players…
Those are rumours generated by people who know nothing about the game, like our sponsor StarTimes gives us Shs60m per year but for example at our club the bare minimum salary of our players is Shs400, 000 per month and we have about 16 players [so] the total salary bill only amounts to over Shs70m. And salary is not the only expense at the club. In summary the money was just not enough.
Do you worry that you might lose several of your players now that the team is now in the second division?
Players can also never be a problem and many of our players have been with us in worse moments than this. This is just a situation that needs everyone to get involved in reviving the club
As club president, what do you want to say to the disappointed Falcons fans out there?
All our fans must come on board and support the team; this is not a situation where we should start pointing figures at anyone for whatever has happened.