Ssepuya, Batabaire and Mudde, deserved vacancies in the squad
Its only a few days before Uganda’s national Soccer team, the Uganda Cranes kick start the country’s 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifiers campaign against Angola on 4rd September, 2010 at Namboole Sports Complex. Uganda, last appeared in the Finals of African Cup, 32years ago in Accra, Ghana finals but Its only on any one’s peril to doubt the credentials of Coach Bobby Williamson’s brigade against any team especially when playing at their home hunting ground of Namboole.
Uganda Cranes
Ever since the 1-nill loss to South Africa’s Bafana Bafana six years ago, no Cranes opponent has ever survived on the tuff of Namboole or more known as Mandela National Sports Stadium. Heavy weights, Nigeria, Ghana, Angola and Benin top the endless list of the victims.
Ultimate Media’s Kasozi Ramathan however, writes that it’s the team selection other than the available talent that will determine the destiny of the team through out the campaign.
In their last visit to Kampala, the Angolans left with enormous bruises as they were humiliated 3-1 thanks to Eugene SSepuya, Andy Mwesigwa and Dan Wagaluka’s astonishing strikes.
Surprisingly not much has changed in the troops that hunted the Black panthers of Angola on that day. Most of all members are available for selection with exception of Left full back Nestroy Kizito and prodigal son David Obua who are doubtful due to injuries.
All said, it’s unwise to think that the Angolans learnt nothing from the last fixture. They are likely to arrive in Kampala armed and well aware of what to expect from the CECAFA region soccer kings. The Situation seems to have worsened by the composition of the squad summoned for the task by the technical arm of the Uganda’s football federation, FUFA.
Mid this Week, the Federation of Uganda Football Association summoned the squad that will accomplish the job against Angola, shockingly with exclusion of Vice Captain Timothy Batabaire, Striker Eugene Ssepuya and fast rising local based Mudde Musa among other prominent figures.
The departure of Sam Ssimbwa for greener pastures in Kenya seem to have started haunting Uganda’s Technical bench. The now Sofa paka FC Head coach , for some spell has been the number two to Williamson and seemed to be his right hand man regarding team selection. You never know such omissions couldn’t have been made.
The build up game against Zambia on 4th August 19, 2010 was timely and was enough to expose the formbook of the Uganda players that took part on that day.
The performance of the fans’ un touchable Brian Umony, who is supposed to lead the goal hunt in the campaign, proved why his club coach Gavin Hunt kept him on the bench of Super Sport United for the entire season.
Before the 23 year old pint sized striker left for the paid ranks in South Africa, he was firing from all cylinders, hitting nets both on local and international stage and was presumed to be the precise replica of Andy ‘Fimbo’ Mukasa, Uganda’s Super League record holder of 45 goals in a single season.
The game against Zambia should have been an eye opener to the technical bench that summoning Eugene Ssepuya wasn’t a luxury but a must to partner Godfrey Massa who looked impressive, and lead the goal hunt.
Who Should be in the Uganda Cranes line-up for Angola game?
In addition to the physical build up and height of the Australian based striker, he is a workaholic who can hold on the ball and fall back when necessary to pick the pieces from the mid-field. He was a menace to the Angolan rear guard in that 3-1 memorable victory in the previous campaign.
In the Mid field, Hassan Wasswa looked impressive as a holding midfielder but his final killer passes in the final third of the pitch were wanting , pausing a question weather Tony Mawajje couldn’t be ranked ahead of him. Local based midfield- dynamo Mudde Musa too deserved a plot in the squad to improve on the competition in the mid-field.
Both the dribbling prowess and pace that seemed to be the secret weapon of Dan Wagaluka that to me, saw him emerge man of the match against Angola in the previous campaign, seem to have elude him. Ever since his decision to join the Tanzanian League he had looked a shadow of the original Wagaluka. Unless otherwise, though SC Villa’s Simon Serunkuma hadn’t had a better season but appears a better candidate to understudy Vicent Kayizzi on the right side of the midfield
The shape of Stephen Bengo, the man who is expected to feel the boots of Obua on the left flank should he fail to shake off the injury in time, can’t go un noticed. Ever since his lucrative transfer from SC Villa to Young Africans of Tanzania, the free kick specialist has experienced one of his worst spell in the career. I’m one of the staunch fans of Bengo, but if I were the coach I could fancy Proline FC’s Sula Matovu popularly known as ‘Molouda’ ahead of him. I hear an argument that the former is too inexperienced, but experience has never been sold any where.
Uganda Crane's Coach Bobby Williamson
If there is any Cranes department where experience need to be sacrificed for form book, should be the goalkeeping. In the last two fruitless previous campaigns, by virtue of plying his trade on the foreign land Denis Onyango had anode against the likes of Dhaira Abel and the two Muwonges, Hamza and Mulindwa.This was the turning point why the team failed to make it to the Angola 2010 Finals. Flash back, Onyango’s howlers in the away games against Benin and Niger. Isn’t it time for him to hand over the gloves to David Odongokara.
True, Timothy Batabaire has lost some of his sparks probably due to the age factor that seem to be intervening but in a situation where your backline is to be attacked by the likes of Manucho and Flavio , you cant rank untested Joseph Owino and Victor FC’S Insinde ahead of him.
The Constitution of the Republic of Uganda provides that, it’s a right of any Ugandan to express his /her opinion but this time in the opening game of the African Cup of Nations Qualifiers 2012, the mandate of team selection and technique lies in the hands of the Scottish Cranes professional tactician Bobby Williamson. The results of the opening game against Angola will be very crucial especially if we are to go with the aphorism that goes always well that ends well. May the ghosts that have haunted the soccer crazy country for over three decades be buried this time