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Vipers SC head coach Denis Lavagne is refusing to look too far ahead as his side begins its CAF Champions League campaign, with the Frenchman setting a modest target of reaching the group stage before thinking about what comes next.
Vipers host Mauritanian champions FC Nouadhibou at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende on Saturday in the first leg of the preliminary round.
While the Venoms are chasing a place in the group stage, Lavagne does not want his players weighed down by talk of winning the competition.
Instead, he wants them to deal with each stage as it comes.
“Target is to reach group stages. After that, the target will be to win a game, and then take it one game at a time,” Lavagne said.
It is a cautious approach from the 62-year-old, who is well aware of the size of the task facing Vipers in Africa.
The Ugandan champions have spent part of their preparations playing against international opposition, including Kenyan champions Gor Mahia and Rwandan giants APR.
Vipers won against Gor Mahia but suffered defeat to APR, giving Lavagne an early indication of where his team stands ahead of the continental test.
“We have prepared well. Did well against international teams like Gor Mahia. Only lost against APR,” he said.
However, the coach knows Nouadhibou will bring a different challenge when the competitive action begins.
The first leg at Kitende is particularly important, with Vipers looking to take an advantage to the return match in Mauritania.
“A difficult game because all the teams in this competition are big. We need to give a big performance and ensure we assume early advantage,” Lavagne added.
For a club that has ambitions of making a mark on the continent, the temptation is to look beyond the opening tie. Lavagne, however, is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.
Asked about winning the Champions League, he was unwilling to make such a promise.
“I can’t say win the competition, I don’t think no Ugandan team has won it.”
That leaves Vipers with a straightforward task for now: get past Nouadhibou and keep their group-stage ambitions alive.
Anything beyond that, according to Lavagne, can wait.
