Uganda Cranes coach Sebestien Desabre has named a 23-man squad for forthcoming friendlies with only four local based players.
This came as a surprise as most Ugandans expected the gaffer to name more local based players since he has been watching the league and as well worked with the boys in CHAN.
Desabre’s team has among others returnees, Jamal Salim and Alex Kakuba who were ignored for over a year while Aucho Khalid who has been club less for nearly the same period also made the cut.
Another surprise inclusion in the squad is Isaac Isinde who was released by his Zambian side, Buildcon early this year.
“I have not neglected the local based players because I have watched the league and I’m impressed with the level of competition,” explained the former Ismaily coach.
I saw many during the CHAN tournament in Morocco so I wanted to use these upcoming friendlies to look at the foreign based players.
Understandably, Desabre who was appointed as Micho’s permanent successor in December last year says he has been in contact with most of the foreign players he has summoned.
I have been in contact with most of them (players) on phone and we discussed a lot but I believe the two games will help us to make a good evaluation.
Uganda Cranes will take on Malawi on March 27 but three days earlier, they will play a yet to be confirmed opponent at Mandela National stadium, Namboole.
Full squad
Goalkeepers: Dennis Onyango Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa, Salim Jamal (El Merriekh, Sudan), Robert Odongkara (St George, Ethiopia).
Defenders: Dennis Iguma (Al Nabi Shayth-Lebanon), Nico Wakiro Wadada (Vipers SC, Uganda), Isaac Isinde Not attached), Bevis Mugabi Yeovil Town, England) Murushid Jjuuko (Simba, Tanzania), Timothy Awany (KCCA FC, Uganda), Godfrey Walusimbi (Gor Mahia-Kenya), Alex Kakuba (Feirense-Portugal).
Midfielders: Joseph Ochaya (Lusaka Dynamos, Zambia), Farouk Miya Sebai FK, Azerbaijan), Hassan Wasswa (El Geish, Egypt), Khalid Aucho (East Bengal, India), Geoffrey Kizito Baba (Than Quang Ninh-Vietnam), Milton Karisa (Vipers SC, Uganda), William Luwagga Kizito (CSMA Iasi, Romania), Abraham Ndugwa (Masavu FC, Uganda)
Forwards: Emmanuel Okwi (Simba, Tanzania), Yunus Sentamu (FK Tirana), Edrisa Lubega (Floridsdorfer AC, Austria), Hood Kaweesa (Buildcon FC, Zambia).
This is how you use friendlies.
Keep tabs on those foreign players who you don’t monitor regularly.
For too long FUFA arranged friendlies only to field players who didn’t play in crucial qualifiers (especially during Mulindwa’s reign). This was Bobby Williamson’s main downfall. His last game away against Liberia comes to mind.
You have to evaluate the foreign players up close. Get them together and build a cohesive “team” from the right ones.
If I were the coach, I would build a foreign spine with a good understanding then use local players for the rest of the team. Any player who goes to far off lands where I cannot monitor them up close and fails to show up on time for friendlies, goes by the wayside, regardless of talent.
I let them know ahead of time so that they make their club choices wisely.
The set piece specialists would be mainly local players because we can have regular practices and keep tabs on progress.
Looks like FUFA and the coach, are on the right track.