Vipers part ways with former Gor Mahia manager

Vipers SC have parted ways with former Gor Mahia coach Roberto Oliveira a month to the start of the African Champions League group matches.

The Brazilian joined the Ugandan champions in August last year, guiding them to the Ugandan Premier League title last season.

But perhaps his greatest achievement with the Venoms was qualifying them to their first ever CAF Champions League group against five time African champions TP Mazembe of the DRC.

"Vipers sports club announces that Mr.Roberto Oliveira has left his role as a head coach with immediate effect. The club would like to thank Roberto for his tireless efforts as a head coach during his time at vipers sports club and to wish him success in the future," a club statement reads.

The former Rayon Sports coach left Gor Mahia in December 2020 to go upgrade after it became apparent he didn't have the required papers to coach at continental level.

“We have to save money for Gor Mahia and we cannot keep on having a foreign coach who does not have papers trying to coach the club, so we have told him to go home and when he gets his papers he can come back, but for now we are trying to engage Sammy ’Pamzo’ Omollo until things are sorted out," Gor Mahia General Secretary Sam Ochola said then.

In new tough rules, CAF, the continental football body, is demanding that a foreign coach must have a UEFA Pro or CAF A license to handle a team in continental games.

Vipers will face three-time winners Raja Casablanca from Morocco, Horoya AC from Guinea, and Tanzania’s Simba SC in Group C of the 2022-2023 CAF Champions League. The action starts in February.

The Venoms qualified for the group stages for the first time after eliminating five-time champions TP Mazembe in the final qualification round, courtesy of a 4-2 penalty shootout victory.

Initially, the St. Mary’s Kitende side had dumped Olympic Real De Bangui in the first preliminary round via a 4-0 aggregate.

Vipers SC is guaranteed at least $550,000 in prize money.