Norman Katende
29 June 2008
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THE Cranes were welcomed like heroes last week on their return from Angola after holding the Black Antelopes to a goalless draw in Luanda. The jubilant crowd left soccer governing body FUFA and the Cranes players challenged.
FUFA and the team vowed not to lose focus in the last games against Niger and Benin.
The fact that coach Laszlo Csaba has employed local stars Simeon Masaba, Johnson Bagoole, Caesar Okhuti and Dan Wagaluka to great effect must not go unnoticed, and presents FUFA with a considerable challenge.
The federation must strive to ensure other locally based players attain the required standard to represent the country.
With Ugandan clubs unimpressive on the continent, where international scouts search for talent, the marketing of the local players remains basically in the 2010 World/Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
FUFA has asked its technical committee to prepare a fully-fledged programme which will see promising local players being trained by national coach Csaba.
Hopefully, the programme will help Csaba appreciate the talent available locally and not depend in most cases only on professionals. Csaba will also then be sure of a steady stream of quality-bred players to the national team.
FUFA has done well in the past in devising helpful programmes; what is needed now is for action to develop the talent at our disposal. It is time national technical director Edgar Watson started doing his job.
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