Full Time: Sam Timbe; a fatherly figure and a man who rests with honor, integrity and dedication.

It has been said that life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.

Two undeniable and highly visible characteristics of great coaches are their indelible courage and inner strength. Sam Timbe, the former URA FC coach, who passed away August 19th,aged 69,was a man of character.

Many may have come to know him for his successes as a coach, but Sam Timbe was a star goalie in the 70’s and spent most of his playing career at Coffee FC as the number-one goalkeeper, helping the club win the Uganda cup. Renowned for his reflexes, braveness, good organization of defence and game reading, the soft-spoken shot-stopper was also a spot-kick specialist, according to tributes shared by those who lived to see his playing days.

The pinnacle of his vital penalty saves was the heroic shootout performance in the 1981 Uganda Cup final against UCB FC when he blocked two penalties to seal Coffee’s first title in 11 years.

The veteran?Uganda?tactician was arguably the most decorated coach in the Confederation for East and Central Africa Football Association (Cecafa )region ,with several titles under his belt. He is best known for winning the regional Cecafa Kagame Club Championship with four different clubs. He won it with Ugandan sides SC Villa (2005) and Police FC (2006), Rwandan side Atraco(2011) and then Tanzanian side Yanga(2011).

The Modest Coach with a Positive Influence.

All aspects and categories of the coaching profession embody an emotional collage of excitement, challenges, surging highs, deep lows, physically and mentally demanding work, and the constant anticipation for what lies ahead. And, as we all know, there is the suffocating time commitment and strain on families.

Influential coaches always seem to have a mission that truly matters. Timbe was that man.

This is the true essence of leadership, influencing human behavior, bringing everyone together for a common cause, delegating responsibility, taking ownership of the program, and working with a purpose. And coach, Timbe aspired to be that, especially on the young boys that looked to him as a father.

Honor, integrity and dedication

Not everyone in this coaching profession has high honor, integrity or professional ethics. Timbe knew who he was and so did every one else. He demanded for results from his players. He demanded for discipline from his players. He demanded for a life outside football from his players.

This is a tribute about a man, who picked up young boys and gave them the first basics of understanding football dynamics, and now are great Ugandan ambassadors.

Former Cranes captain and goallie Dennis Onyango is one of them. Timbe coached the then young and upcoming Onyango at SC Villa (2004), a year in which the club won its last Championship. In one of the league games, Timbe surprised many by selecting Onyango to play as a striker, and he bagged a hattrick. This showed how unpredictable and tactical that he was.

And Timbe, unfortunately for SC Villa fans,made sure this “record” stands, as he led his URA FC charges to beat SC Villa on the last day of last season(2022/23) and hand the tittle to Vipers SC in May 2023.

Many players that played under him, remember Timbe for bringing ?an unbelievable work ethic and positive attitude to their craft. He was the perfect, wonderful role model for these boys, which is the most important trait of all.

We celebrate Timbe as a man who was mentally tough and ethical, and who didn’t get caught-up in the hype, fluff and hordes of peripheral nonsense that have no substance and serve only to strangle the true meaning of football.

This tribute is about a special person and coach with great character in his personal and professional life, and who was totally committed to the game and unconditionally loyal to those he served and represented.

To some, you may have been the one they will say you saved their life. These young footballers wanted, needed and craved structure and discipline with compassion. They yearned for positive role models. Sure, they may not admit it now, but eventually they will. If we were to just look closely into their eyes, we would be able to see it.

Its Full Time Coach. Sleep with the angels.

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