The evening of Sunday, 3rd January 2016 will be remembered as one of those most humiliating and embarrassing times to say the least for the national football team, the Uganda Cranes.
On the day, the Cranes team, currently preparing for the CHAN Championships in Rwanda were denied access to the playing facility at the African Bible University, off Entebbe road in Lubowa.
Some of the national team players and technical team had assembled well in time for the session only to be told that Sunday is a ‘special day of resting‘ at the University and hence forth no activity (including the football training) would take place.
It took the swift and timely intervention of the team manager, federation officials and the coaches to seek for a quick fix, and the players left in batches for the Mutesa II Stadium, Wankulukuku in different private vehicles.
As the team trained at Wankulukuku, two groups constituting of SC Villa fans and a Kabowa based select team vehemently demanded that the Cranes cut short their session since they had booked the facility for a build up match.
Luckily, after a consensus, the Cranes were given at least 20 minutes to ‘taste’ the full field before shifting to the outside of the university facility.
The team successfully completed the training session at the pitch side, and the rest as they would say is now a history chapter.
None of the federation officials nor the coaching staff could comment on the whole saga that not only dents the otherwise great image of the national team, but also exposes the weak lines within the planning department for the general welfare of the team ahead of a continental championship of CHAN’s magnitude.
Day three of the team training will see the players go through the gym drills at the Kampala based Fitness Gym located at the Acacia Mall.
The team is expected to start residential training on Tuesday at the FUFA Technical Center, Njeru.
Uganda is expected to play two international build up matches at Njeru against Gabon and Cameroon prior to the departure for finals in Rwanda.
The players who attended day two training:
Goalkeepers: James Alitho (Vipers S.C) and Mathias Kigonya (Bright Stars F.C)
Defenders: Joseph Nsubuga (Bright Stars), Deus Bukenya (Vipers), Isaac Muleme (SC Villa Jogoo), Yesseri Waibi (SC Villa Jogoo), Hassan Wasswa Dazzo (KCCA F.C), Shafik Bakaki (Vipers S.C), Ibrahim Kiyemba (Lweza F.C), Sadat Kyambadde (Police F.C), Timothy Musinguzi (Soana F.C), Timothy Awany (KCCA F.C)
Midfielders: Ambrose Kirya (SC Villa Jogoo), Keziron Kizito (Vipers), Rahmat Senfuka (Police F.C), Francis Olaki (Soana F.C), Faruku Kawooya (SCVU), Martin Kiiza (SC Villa Jogoo)
Strikers: Robert Ssentongo (URA), Geoffrey Sserunkuma (Lweza F.C), Kalanda Frank (URA F.C), Ndugwa Karim (SC Villa Jogoo), Edris Lubega (Proline Soccer Academy) Nelson Senkatuka (KCCA F.C)
Guest player: Robert Kakeeto (Aalborg B.K F.C, Denmark)