On Tuesday 21, the Federation Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) unveiled Mulitin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic as Uganda Cranes coach replacing Bobby Williamson who was sacked in April. The Serbian tactician returns to the country where he launched his 12 year old coaching career in Africa with SC Villa in 2001.
Micho will work with experienced Sam Timbe (Police FC), upcoming Kefa Kisala (Bidco FC) and Fred Kajoba (Simba SC) (goal keeping coach) as assistants during his two year renewable tenure.
Funny though, his assistants are not contracted with the federation and thus remain with their clubs as head coaches and only get paid through allowances when there is national duty say in AFCON, World Cup, CHAN, Cecafa or friendly engagements.
This leaves a lot to be desired because in my opinion, the Cranes and federation can’t get the best out of these coaches since they concentrate most on their club duty and offer little to the Cranes.
“I would prefer all coaches on the national team to be independent of club jobs so that they are able to monitor all players by watching club games”, John Vianney Nsimbe a sports journalist with The Observer Media.
“If they remain with their clubs, they only watch games involving their club and given the tension that comes with games, it may even be difficult for them to identify good players in those matches”, he adds.
Cranes Media Officer Fred ‘Malibu’ Katende however differs by saying that here, they easily monitor these players.
“They can easily monitor these players especially those at their clubs”, he said.
Amazingly, clubs Bidco FC, Police FC and Simba SC from which the assistants where picked are not usual homes for national team players.
In my opinion, all Cranes coaches would serve the national team better without club duties. It’s high time Fufa changed the system.
