Managing a national team is one of the most difficult jobs, more so, when you are a foreign coach.
There is a lot to unpack from the cultural shocks, acceptance, language challenges and building a philosophy among a set of players coming from different clubs, where their orientation differs.
Yet, for German tactician, Burkhard Pape, who handled The Cranes in the late 1960s into the 1970s, he left an indelible mark, that transformed the team. Before him was British coach Harris Malcolm, who handled the barefooted Cranes team in 1956.
But upon Pape’s arrival in Uganda, he changed the coaching regime. First, he dropped the kick and play to a more attractive brand of football. In fact, he invented the famous approach known as `kili-kili’ football.
This was a style highlighted by short crisp passes which most Ugandan fans fell in love with.
HOW DID PAPE ACHIEVE THIS?
Pape came to Uganda from Sierra Leone, where he had held a similar job as national team coach. When he arrived here in 1968, Robert Kiberu was the national team coach.
While his arrival was met with both excitement and skepticism, Pape quickly made a quick mark by guiding Uganda to the 1968 East African Challenge Cup in Dar es Salaam. This was largely as a result of his approach soon after landing in Uganda.
Pape organized some coaching courses for all coaches and games masters at Kyambogo. These coaching clinics produced many coaches who traversed the country coaching football teams, higher institutions of learning and schools as well.
This resulted in many quality players being developed for The Cranes. Uganda ended up winning the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup in 1968, 1970. Because of Pape’s pragmatism, he organized a tour for the Uganda Cranes of Germany.
While there, the team played a series of friendly matches with the local teams. This helped Uganda’s players improve their skills. In addition, Pape took it upon himself to visit all the local teams in the top-flight league and shared his coaching ideas with them.
This was intended to help improve their players technically; results showed in their performances. For example, the German tactician was behind Simba FC’s success in reaching the Africa Club Championship finals in 1972.
The army side became the first club not only in Uganda but in the East African region to reach the continental final. He sat on the Simba technical bench during the Caf fixtures, helping them impress with outstanding displays on the continent.
Pape’s conversations with KCCA FC’s team manager, Bidandi Ssali were common place. This was because KCCA and Simba had the bulk of Cranes players.
Furthermore, Pape is also credited for either producing or helping improve top Ugandan coaches including David Otti, Peter Okee, Robert Kiberu, Jimmy Bakyayita Semugabi, “Big” Ben Omoding, and Charles Omigi.
In addition, Pape’s other great contributions was the formation of the Youth programme which saw the first national youth team. He believed that sports, especially soccer, is like a child. It grows step by step and steadily.
A host of young players at the 1973 regional youth football tournament won by Uganda in Kenya, graduated to become top football names. The likes of Moses Nsereko, Timothy Ayiekho, George Mukasa, Stanley “Tank” Mubiru, Mike Kiganda, Ashe Mukasa, Abbey Nasur, and Billy Kizito were among them.
It was Pape’s firm conviction that without a sound youth programme a national team can never thrive without reinforcement.
The aforementioned players were part of The Cranes team that finished second at the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana. But before then, he guided some of these players to the 1974 Africa Cup of Nations. Pape achieved all this because of his great personality.
He cooperated well with fellow coaches, administrators and players alike. He got a lot of support, which ensured that his methods became a success. Pape was a jovial and good spirited person.
Besides the fact that Pape’s impact on his teams was always evident, he had a profound weakness. He looked a troubled man when his team was under relentless attacks from his opponents.
He never had a calm demeanour while under pressure. Oftentimes, while at the touchline, when his team was on the receiving end, Pape would sweat profusely, and was always frantic like a caged leopard; moving up and down like a time bomb.
This unsettled his players and affected their focus during games. As Cranes coach, Pape led the team on 70 0ccasions. In these caps, The Cranes won 41 matches, drew 16, and lost 13. This is a big contribution in terms of preparation and commitment.
In August 1973, Pape left Uganda and relocated to Egypt.
PAPE RETURNS
In 1999, Pape returned to Uganda and wanted his old job back. This was a time when the majority of his former players were in football administration. In fact, it was Denis Obua (one of his players in the 1970s) who was the president of Fufa.
At the time, the German tactician was aged 66 and Fufa found it hard to hand over the team to him. At the time, the Uganda Cranes was handled by Nigerian Harrison Okagbue.
Although Pape looked strong, with a sharp memory as he remembered all the players he groomed by name, Fufa had doubts in his ability to do the coaching job then.
Instead, Pape was appointed Technical Director. Back then, when I asked him what had enabled him succeed in Uganda, he quickly cited high discipline among the players, and government’s full support for the game.
While he was coming from Germany, one of the top football playing nations in the world, he didn’t impose their approach on Uganda. “My approach here was totally different, because I knew Africa had a different approach,” Pape said.
Surprisingly, when Pape travelled home to prepare for his new assignment, the German didn’t return. It did not seem to matter so much because his contribution to Ugandan football had already been made, back in the 1970s.
Because of that, Uganda will forever be indebted to Pape for the fact that he gave Ugandan football a sense of purpose and tactical direction! He died in 2024, at 91.
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