Cranes coach Milutin Micho Sredojevic is expected to soon make the big announcement of the 30 players he will consider for his 23-man squad to represent Uganda at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) slated for January in Gabon, writes JOHN VIANNEY NSIMBE.
Anxiety will engulf most players as they monitor whether they have made the squad to begin preparations for Afcon. This is the moment Micho will break many hearts, yet it cannot be easier for him either, considering the many permutations.
URA FC coach Kefa Kisala told The Observer that he does not expect many surprises in Micho’s selection: “I am sure he is going to go for the tried and tested players because he trusts experience more to get The Cranes to the quarter-finals, at least.”
Kisala added that from his reading, and having worked with Micho for nearly two years as his assistant, the Serbian tactician has at least 16 players that are guaranteed a place on the final 23, barring injury.
The spine of the team has always been Dennis Onyango, Isaac Isinde, Tonny Mawejje and Geoffrey Massa, although Farouk Miya has, for the past one year, become more integral to that spine too. Considering Miya’s goal-scoring ability, the midfielder has become indispensable.
However, Miya has made up for Cranes’ striking line deficiencies, especially when Massa’s form has been on the decline for more than a year. His last international goal was against Togo in a 3-0 win in November 2015.
And with the likes of strikers Hamis Kiiza, Mike Sserumaga, Emma Okwi and Robert Ssentongo floundering, the options are few to Micho according to Sam Ssimbwa, a former Cranes assistant coach.
So, Micho can only call on Yunus Sentamu, whose last show of form was in the 2014 Chan tournament in South Africa, when he scored three goals. The latest options are novices Derrick Nsibambi and Muhammad Shaban.
But although Shaban made the bench for the last World Cup qualifier against Congo-Brazzaville, Ssimbwa doubts his readiness, although that is Micho’s card to call.
jovi@observer.ug