Just 3 days after he was officially announced a Girodins Bordeaux player, Ugandan teenager Travis Mutyaba made his Debut for the French side trying his best to fit in at the right wing during their first win of the season, a double from former Liverpool striker Andy Carroll sealed a 1-2 win away to Olympique Saumur.
In all honesty, the last time a Ugandan watched Bordeaux play must have been in the Ligue1.
Through a live YouTube link for those who wished to see their boy start his trade in Europe, the conditions of this game appeared close to those of a Sunday league match.
But there is an explanation to why that was so.
According to Mutyaba’s representative, Dennis Namanya of Prosper sports agency they considered Bordeaux for the Players’ development rather than an immediate fat pay cheque.
“We agreed with zamalek about termination of contract Incase a better offer came up, which we did.” Namanya said
In an interview with Brian Kawalya on the Sports Nation, Namanya also explained the choice of club;
“We had an offer from RC Lens, a league 1 side but they were not willing to take on further development for Mutyaba in their U23s as we had requested and instead wanted him immediately on the senior team, we felt he wasn’t ready for such a stage and needed further polishing, Bordeaux was was ounce a big team.”
“They might be down now but still have all the necessities for Mutyaba’s development without immense pressure. That’s why we chose to go there.”
Once the glitter of French football, Bordeaux has even fielded greats like Zinedine Zidane, won 6 Ligue 1 titles with the most recent being in 2009 and reaching the last 8 of the UEFA champions league the next year. These glory days are long behind them.
Now dusting off their misery in Championnat National 2, France’s fourth tier, Boardeaux sit third from bottom with only 6points off 5 games, previously drawing three and losing one.
Following a series of financial constraints, Bordeaux was brought to it’s knees in the aftermath of COVID 19.
In 2021, Spanish business man Gerard Lopez took over ownership of the club but it was already a sinking ship, that himself failed to bring back afloat.
They accumulated more than €200m in losses from 2018 to 2022 when they got relegated from Ligue1.
The situation got worse, Bordeaux filed for bankruptcy in July, let go of the coach and their playing staff, they were demoted to the non-pro fourth tier.
Showing up with only 14players on their league opener, they haven’t had it easy. Bruno Irles, the former City Group owned Troyes coach is the manager and he’s had some past players return along with former Newcastle United midfielder Amadou Diallo joining last month.
League2 based Amiens SC’s sporting director, John Williams who’s also a friend to the Bordeaux owner is helping out with the recruitment, his impact was immediate having convinced former Liverpool striker Andy Carroll to join them from Amiens.
Mutyaba is among the new exciting recruitments along with a 20yr old Morrocoan winger Safouane Karim who has featured in the dutch eredivise for FC Vonlenfam.
