The Portuguese, with frustration and disappointment visibly engulfed all over him, wandered around the MTN Omondi Stadium pitch, from one end to another, seemingly reflecting on the defeat and, perhaps, a possible way forward.
Following their 2-1 defeat to Maroons FC in the Uganda Premier League on Tuesday, KCCA FC head coach Sergio Daniel Moniz Traguil stayed behind on the pitch and subsequently missed the post-match press conference.
The Portuguese, with frustration and disappointment visibly engulfed all over him, wandered around the MTN Omondi Stadium pitch, from one end to another, seemingly reflecting on the defeat and, perhaps, a possible way forward.
![](https://sportal365images.com/process/smp-images-production/ringier.africa/04102023/c5e98e6d-80d3-47cb-815e-615514a61294.jpg?operations=fit(480:))
And, while the press conference was going on, he was in the far corner flag, seemingly struggling to hold back his tears. First-team coach Jackson Magera eventually addressed it.
After minutes in the corner, team doctor Ivan Ssewanyana came to his sorrowful rescue and talked him away.
Traguil had just witnessed his side suffer a second successive defeat in the league, most probably a complete opposite of what he envisaged when he took over.
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18:47 - 03.10.2023
FOOTBALL UPL: Fred Amaku - Maroons' Warder arrests KCCA at Lugogo
It was a show of grit and grind from Maroons FC as they stunned KCCA FC, beating them 2-1 at the MTN Omondi Stadium, Lugogo.
That came at the back of another agonizing 1-0 defeat to BUL FC a week back, leaving them without a point after two games and languishing in the 13th place of the 16-team table.
It also came just two days after KCCA had exited the CAF Confederation Cup after a 5-4 aggregate defeat by Libyan side Abu Salim.
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10:00 - 29.09.2023
FOOTBALL CAF CC: Sergio Traguil - KCCA head coach questions players' mentality
However, the Portuguese tactician stressed a number of players are yet to get to the required frame of mind to compete at the top level.
Frustrated? Emotionally exhausted?
In the lead to the continental second leg against Abu Salim, Traguil cut an out-of-words figure during a press conference as he addressed the reasons for the club's dismal form.
He pointed at "how much work we do" and the "intensive training sessions" vis a vis the performances and especially, the results.
The tactician also questioned the mentality of some of the players, stressing that many are yet to fully gel to what he is trying to paint.
Following their 3-2 win over Abu Salim on Sunday, Traguil then praised his side's display and stressed he expected the team to build on that, moving forward.
To regress against a 'lesser' Maroons was by every standard expected to take a toll on the emotions in the dressing room.
Staying on the pitch the right move?
While his reasoning for staying behind has not been aired, the smartphone era was always going to take record.
Images and videos shared of a head coach of one of the most successful clubs in the country, allowing emotions to take lead after two defeats only breeds more pressure.
12:22 - 04.10.2023
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The profession and experience in Traguil would be expected to calm and unite the dressing room and staff rather than him keeping the pain with himself.
What next?
KCCA will be expected to bounce back with dominion when they host city rivals Express Football Club at Lugogo on Sunday in another league showdown.
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11:06 - 04.10.2023
FOOTBALL KCCA FC's unsettling start: A crisis of commitment?
The Kasasiro Boys are going through a rough patch. Their opening two losses in the 2023/2024 Startimes Uganda Premier League paint a bleak picture.
Anything short of victory will only spur more frustration, anger and impatience in the fans and the dressing room but also intoxicate the atmosphere at Lugogo.