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Uganda/Benin: Cranes - The Country Must Pull Together
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The Monitor (Kampala)
6 June 2008
Posted to the web 7 June 2008
Cranes campaigns always start well and end in tears. This time our campaign almost ended before it started. The behind-the-scenes politics and dismal African Nations Championships showing against Tanzania that resulted in the ouster of Sam Ssimbwa and Jackson Mayanja as Laszlo Csaba's assistants highlighted the lack of overall strategy needed to end our 32-year wait for a place in the continent's premier football showpiece.
Surely not much can be expected from septuagenarian David Otti. And he is not to blame - he was Cranes coach in 1974 and has definitely not attended any coaching course in the last 20 years. What fresh ideas can he bring to the Cranes set up? Ask the Fufa technical committee.
Csaba himself is wilting under pressure and lack of control over the team. His relief at beating Niger in the Nations Cup opener was there for all to see.
There seems to be a stand-off between Csaba and Fufa. The Hungarian-born German made sure he vented his frustrations while dismissing Ronald Muganga and Tony Odur from camp. "You are here only because you play for the president's club Bunnamwaya," he reportedly said. That statement spoke volumes Fufa are in a catch-22 situation.
They seem unhappy with Csaba's performances but are unwilling to terminate his contract because they cannot afford the $270,000 or Shs432m needed to compensate him. In truth, he did as well as the facilities available to him in that Niger game could manage and Uganda got the 3 points.
On the eve of the game, I had called for Ibrahim Sekagya to be stripped of the captaincy. It is time to eat humble pie and admit I was wrong. His goal-grabbing foray into Niger's penalty box was a get-out-of jail ticket for Csaba and Uganda's hopes. Little else was right on May 31, apart of Joseph Kabagambe's man of the match display.
The Atraco FC winger must have floated in at least 30 crosses and was the team's main creative force. Credit for fielding him has to go to Csaba. The coaches' next task is to find the players to take the chances he is creating. Tomorrow's game against Benin in Porto Novo is not exactly the place to experiment.
The absence of Sekagya, Nestory Kizito and Noah 'Babadi' Kasule has complicated the coach's job. Andy Mwesigwa and Abubaker Tabula are ready replacements for Kizito and Sekagya but Kasule's absence creates a serious problem. Who will protect the back for? Sulaiman Tenywa appeared lost in the role against Niger though I am sure Csaba will be hard pressed to overlook him considering his options.
Caesar Okhuti did enough to earn a starting place. His dynamism and willingness to work for the team are attributes that will come in handy against the not so impressive Benin Squirrels.
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One has to hope the organisational shortfalls that resulted in the team's failure to get decent accommodation will not come back to haunt Fufa.
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