PROLINE SOCCER ACADEMY'S UK DIARY:

Day 1: The academy trip to the UK began in earnest on a sunny Friday afternoon, 18th April 2008. Due to the big size of the contingent, Kenya airways decided to divide us into two groups. The first group traveled on Friday 18th April 2008, departing Entebbe Airport at 2010 hrs for Heathrow Airport in the UK. This group was led by the PSA director - Mujib Kasule and included the academy manager, Shaban Kakooza. The Players who traveled with the director are - Luyiga Johnson [Goalkeeper], Kisekka Ronie [Captain], Mukisa Yusuf, Alex "Juniour" Kakuba, Makoba, Dennis Bigala, Senkubyra "Kamista" Devis, Feni Ali, Moses 'Kamwokya' Lubega, Juma Sakari, Henry Baganza and Imamu 'Bumbuli' Isaac. The journey went without incident and they arrived well in England, touching down at Heathrow at 6.45 on Saturday morning. The team was received by a couple of Ugandans living in the UK and were driven straight to the Antigallican Hotel in Charlton, London. All the arrangements in the UK have been taken care of splendidly by the academy patrons - the Ferdinand Family.

Day 2: Saturday, 19th April - The second contingent, led by Anthony Ndawula, one of the counselors in the academy included officials William Bakka, Yasin Buwembo, Monitor journalist Namanya, academy coach Baker Mbowa and players Bukenya Ivan, Mbaziira Simon, Edema Patrick, Apollo Razak, Buruhan Mayanja and Lopidia "Wurube" Robert. This contingent encountered a minor mishap when the flight was cancelled at the last minute after checking in the entire team. As a result, the team was booked into Imperial Botanical Beach Hotel in Entebbe to spend the night as the next flight was scheduled for 2010 hrs the next day.

The Group that was already in London linked up with Julian and Anton Ferdinand who took them to watch a premiership game between West Ham and Derby County at Upton Park that afternoon.

Ferdinand took the entire team to the VIP box where the boys rubbed shoulders with stars like Keiron Dyer and Carlton Cole. The boys thoroughly enjoyed themselves as all the stars were doting on them. "Anton Ferdinand is spoiling the boys like his young brothers and loving every bit of it" said the academy director Mujib Kasule when asked about the proceedings at the game. The game in itself, won by West Ham 2-1, was a great experience for the boys and they enjoyed it very much.

PSA boys relax in the private viewing box at Upton Park with Keiron Dyer

Back at Botanical Beach Hotel in Entebbe, the whole group was treated to a sumptuous dinner before going off to their designated rooms for a well deserved night's rest. The treatment they received at the hotel made the boys relax and gradually get over their disappointment at missing their flight to London.

Day 3: Sunday, 20th April - Sunday at the hotel in Entebbe began in earnest, heavy breakfast for the boys, a bit of rest and then they enjoyed a two hour work out in the hotel gym - gymnastics, which they thoroughly enjoyed followed by a fun time in the swimming pool. For them, it was like a holiday already!! By the time they got through their set routines, it was already lunch time. Another feast awaited the boys who by this time were happy to look forward to flight that had by now been confirmed as rescheduled for that night at 2010 hrs.

In London, Sunday was a match day. The Ugandan Community in London prepared a welcome get together for the contingent on Sunday and as part of the festivities, a match between PSA and a collection of young Ugandan footballers based in London called

Cranes United. The match, played in East London near Upton Park started brightly at a high tempo with both sides eager to entertain. The Cranes United players played with a lot of zeal as they did not want to disappoint their fans but they found the well drilled PSA boys difficult to breakdown. The gulf in class eventually began to show as two well taken goals for PSA in each half by captain Ronie Kisekka and Juma Sakari settled the tie. The fans were very well entertained and by the time the game finished, everybody was left in awe at the quality of football exhibited by PSA and were very happy that they had witnessed the products of a professionally run academy based in their country.

The boys were then treated to a reception in club 19 which was well attended by a cross section of Ugandans in the UK. They all pledged to do all they could possibly do to make our stay more comfortable.

The contingent that was left in Uganda meanwhile managed to get a flight out and reached Heathrow Airport Monday morning.

Day 4: Monday, 21st April - Monday was a happy day all round as the whole traveling group was reunited in the morning. Hugs, high, and backslaps were aplenty as the boys became one unit for the first time this trip, the happy scenes being witnessed by the bemused Hotel attendants at the Antigallican Hotel in Charlton.

The day was spent 'chilling' in the hotel and it climaxed with a light training session of the whole group in East London.

Back at the hotel, Juma Sakari, Feni Mohammed and Lopidia Robert showed that their skills do not only stop at the pitch when they took over the kitchen as well. They became the in-house chefs when it was decided that it was more practical for the group to cook its own meals, in order to make adaptation to the new environment easier.

Day 5: Tuesday, 22nd April - It was business as usual on Tuesday morning as boys got up early for morning training. A good work out was followed by a mandatory rest at the hotel. A mini tour of London, eagerly awaited by the boys, was scheduled for the afternoon.

The academy patron, Julian Ferdinand visited the camp in the afternoon and further lifted the boy's spirits as he came with the next day's schedule for the game against Millwall's U-18 team. Julian spent the entire afternoon with the team and he later watched the champion's league game between Liverpool and Chelsea at the hotel with them. As a result, the London tour was rescheduled to Thursday morning.

Anton Ferdinand also made a surprise visit to the hotel during the champion's league game and further excited the boys when he gave them playing boots to use for the next day's game. At the end of the match, the Ferdinands left the hotel and the boys turned in for the night

Day 6: Wednesday, 23rd April - Match day. Our first official match was scheduled for today against Millwall FC's U-18 team. As it normally happens, a few people are quite apprehensive since no one knows what to expect. The boys are however their usual jovial selves. The mood in the camp is very much a mixed one.

Julian Ferdinand comes to the hotel at 11am as the boys are sitting down to an early lunch. Two hours and a hot meal of pasta later, we set out for Bromley, Millwall's training ground where the match is scheduled to start at 2.45 pm.

We reach Bromley at about 1.30pm and head straight to the dressing rooms. The boys start getting a feel of the professional arrangement and light hearted banter between them starts. As kick-off approaches, the captain, Kisekka tells the boys to start concentrating and focusing on the task ahead.

Max Ferdinand arrives with Coach Gavin, a respected youth coach and good friend to Rio Ferdinand.

The Academy Director, together with Julian enters the dressing room thirty minutes to kick off and starst talking tactics for the day. He reads the starting line up and its - Luyiga Johnson, Makoba Denis, Alex Kakuba, Mukisa Yusuf, Ronie Kiseka, Kamista Devis, Bumbuli Isaac, Apollo Razak, Feni Mohammed Ali, Mbaziira Simon and Edema Patrick. The team discusses the given tactics afterwards and then head out for the pre-match warm up. The Millwall team is already on the pitch going through their warm up paces. They look big and tall and the Ugandan fans who have by now started streaming in are taken aback! They are not sure the PSA boys will match up to them.

The match kicks off on time. The millwall side starts brightly, they are full of running and are quite physical but the proline boys match them pound for pound - so to speak! After ten minutes, PSA starts finding their feet, stringing a number of passes together to the delight of the Ugandan fans at the sidelines. The number of fans has swelled and the millwall chairman cant believe it. In a brief chat with prolinesports.org, the millwall chairman marvels at the spirit that the Ugandan community have shown the young boys and also is beside himself with the talent that Uganda has to offer!

Anton Ferdinand arrives at the pitch a few minutes after the start of the game. Thirty minutes into the game and PSA is totally dominating the game. Chance after chance goes begging until finally, Apollo Razak is fouled in the millwall box. The ref points to the spot and captain Ronie kiseka coolly converts the spot kick to the delight of the Ugandans watching!! Half time score - Millwall 0 PSA 1.

The second half starts off and its not any different from the first. PSA is totally dictating the proceedings; all that is missing is a goal as once again, a host of chances are missed by the generous PSA forwards. In the PSA goal, Johnson is a virtual spectator as no single shot has come his way yet!! One of the numerous chances is finally put away by Juma Sakari two minutes to the end of the game and PSA wins its first game against

European opposition 0-2!!! The boys come to acknowledge the presence of the Ugandan community and then go back to the dressing room where they meet and chat with the Millwall players. It's a very satisfying afternoon in London.

For the post match meal, Anton Ferdinand, together with cousin Max treats the boys to a meal in one of the swanky restaurants in London. The boys are in buoyant mood as they are driven back to the hotel, with Anton and Max leading the convoy.

Day 7: Thursday, 24th April - Today, we are scheduled to go sight seeing around London in the morning and meet Hajji Habib Kagimu, one of the principal supporters and sponsors of the academy. The boys are relaxed and are gearing themselves up for a fun day around town. We head out at 11am, first destination - The London Eye. With exception of the heavy traffic en route to the West end, we manage to get to the latest tourist attraction in London without any mishap. Its truly a marvel to see this British Airways sponsored creation! The boys are in awe and excitedly, they take pictures around the London Eye. Sadly, due to the high number of people already waiting to take turns in it, the boys cant experience the unique feeling of viewing London from the highest point on the London Eye. There's too much to see, so little time!

We head to Trafalgar Square for a date with the doves but as we get to the bridge, it starts raining! The weather changed from a bit of sunshine to pouring rain and bitter cold in a matter of seconds, giving us a first hand run-in with the notorious British weather. Left with no options, we run into a nearby McDonalds and wait for the rain to let up. By the time the weather clears, its lunch time and we head back to the hotel, abandoning our scheduled tour stops in order to make it for the afternoon meeting with Hajji Kagimu.

The team got together in the hotel common room after lunch, talked about a variety of issues concerning the trip exchanged humorous banter while waiting for Hajji Kagimu, who made his grand entrance at about 5pm. Its was so easy for the boys to see why hajji is held in such high esteem around the whole world after listening to him speak. His interaction with the boys was an educational experience as he tackled a range of topics from European History, Human Behaviour to Football. He thanked the boys for the discipline and hard work that they had so far exhibited in the UK and further warned them about outside influences especially in London.

Day 8: Friday, 25th April - Today, we are going to Manchester. A game against Manchester United's U-18 team had earlier been scheduled but cancelled later when the United coaching staff decided they wanted assess our boys in a more meaningful way. It was agreed that a training session, handled by the United academy coaches would allow them to know all they needed about the proline boys. After an early lunch, our convoy, led by Julian Ferdinand and Academy Director, followed by the team bus and the officials' van started on the five-hour journey to Manchester.

We check into the Premier Inn at Deansgate Locks in Manchester at about 6pm. The boys are given two hours to freshen up for dinner.

Day 9: Saturday, 26th April - It's a hectic day today. Breakfast is served at 8.30am and we set off to Old Trafford, Manchester United's home at 10.00am. Here, we are met by

Youth coach, Mr. John Shields, who in charge of our Manchester stage of the tour.

First on our agenda is a tour of the Old Trafford facility, which takes the boys through a history session of the Manchester United Institution. After a comprehensive study and tour of the stadium, we sit down to lunch in the popular red café as we watch the premiership clash between Manchester United and Chelsea. A defeat for Manchester United dumps the mood but we head on to the ultra modern training complex at Carrington where John Shields takes the boys through various sets and plays.

Rio Ferdinand visits the boys at dinner time for the first time on the tour as soon as the team comes back from London. Despite the disappointment of losing earlier in the day, Rio does his best to reassure the lads that the academy is on the right path and in good hands.