Ahead of the 2014 World Cup qualifier against Liberia on March 24th in Monrovia, Uganda Cranes Coach Bobby Williamson announced his 25 man squad from which 18 players will be chosen to tussle it out against Liberia.
Unlike before, there was no press conference held by the federation but instead mails reached the media thanks to the Cranes media officer Fred Katende.
“It is difficult to understand why it happened that way”, the Observer’s John Vianney Nsimbe bemused. “Maybe it was meant to protect Coach Bobby from the press since they would question his loyalty to Uganda after reports that he had applied for the Kenya job”, he said.
That aside, the squad summoned leaves more questions un answered and leaves one wondering whether the technical team really tracks these players. To be precise, a number of players summoned for this game have been inactive due to injuries, lack of first team football while others are in pre-season. This eliminates players who are currently active and enjoying their game yet maybe they would have made the squad.
CHECKS AND BALANCES ON THE SUMMONED SQUAD:
In goal, Denis Onyango, Abel Dhaira and Hamza Muwonge were summoned but apart from the latter, the rest don’t get first team football. Ever since he joined Simba SC, Abel Dhaira has remained second to Tanzanian goalie Juma Kasejja while Onyango has been struggling with injury.
In midfield Zimbabwean based midfielder Boban Zirintusa surprisingly earned a place on the squad. “The technical team has been following him and his performances for Power Dynamos have been impressive”, Fred Katende, the cranes media officer told Kawowo Sports. Maybe yes, maybe no but it’s very hard to believe the words of the technical team that doesn’t even watch league games. Apart from Mujib Kasule and Fred Kajoba who watch league games consistently, the other members of the technical team don’t.
It’s easier to foot from Kampala to Gulu than remembering the last time Asuman Lubowa, Livingstone Kyambadde and Jackson Mayanja (key members of the technical team) watched a league game. It leaves you wondering how they monitor or identify potential national team player.
Upfront, 2012 Cecafa Tusker Challenge Cup golden boot winner Robert Ssentongo was surprisingly left out of the squad in preference for Gor Mahia FC Daniel Sserunkuma, Yanga’s Hamis Kiiza, Etoile Du Sahel striker Emmanuel Okwi and Geoffrey Massa. “We just couldn’t summon more than four strikers”, Fred Katende said.
Worrying though, none of the four strikers are enjoying good moments at the time. Okwi is yet to get enough playing time at his new club, Massa is just making a return from injury, Brian Umony is yet to find his scoring boots after crossing to Azam FC and is currently down with injury, Sserunkuma’s form has is not the best and has lost his starting place to Mungai Kiongera. The former Express FC, Victors FC and Nairobi City Stars striker has started from the bench in the last two Gor Mahia FC game while Hamis Kiiza is yet to find goals consistently in the second round Tanzania league games.
In my opinion, KCC FC striker Herman Wasswa who currently tops the goal scoring charts in the Fufa Super League (FSL) with 17 goals should have been part of the squad. Of all the four strikers named, none is enjoying his football at the moment than the former Masaka LC and SC Villa striker.
Others who should have been part of the squad include Ayub Kisaliita and Ivan Ntege of SC Villa and KCC FC respectively. The duo is in fine form at the moment.
To crown it all, the Fufa technical team leaves a lot to be desired.