What next after Cranes’ failed World Cup attempt

For the umpteenth time, it has seemed so near yet so far for Uganda Cranes World Cup qualifying dream.
A rare 1-0 win over record Afcon kings Egypt at Namboole in August had reawakened the belief among many a Uganda Cranes diehard only to be followed by a similar loss in Egypt and the sluggish 0-0 draw with Ghana on Saturday.
The future of interim coaches Moses Basena, Matia Lule and Fred Kajoba hangs on the overall outcome of the Ghana and Congo games – at least according to Fufa – but Egypt’s 2-1 win over Congo on October 8 that sealed their World Cup spot, could force the federation to make a faster consideration.
But what went wrong? According to former Uganda Cranes left winger and deputy coach Kefa Kisala, the national team’s problems are more than what Basena and colleagues can be blamed for - for now.
“Our building of the national team is not good. Successful teams build from bottom to top but we do it the other way round,” says the Jinja-based Bul coach.
“How does Derrick Nsibambi start ahead of the experienced Geoffrey Sserunkuma in a deciding match?
“That is how Cranes lost it by replacing retired Geoffrey Massa with Emma Okwi, who takes over two years to score a goal for the national team.” He was particularly concerned that Cranes technical team summons over 100 players but end up using the same usual players which kills player progress.
There is a general belief that Cranes is still recovering from the hangover of former coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic who quit midway the campaign to leave the reins to his assistant Basena.

Where are the playmakers?
Many fans chastised Basena for keeping ‘off-colour’ players like Farouk Miya in the team yet he can make that bold move and give a nod to players like Muzamir Mutyaba.
“Uganda’s main problem is in the creativity department that is supposed to provide chances for the strikers and that should be worked on fast,” remarked former SC Villa and Cranes striker Hussein Mbalangu.
The former Villa coach now based in Somalia says having a local as head coach is not the issue of contention but is he the best there is in the indigenous coaches’ pool?
Yet to Kajoba, who heads the Cranes goalkeeping realm, the national team is on a steady path even with a few shortcomings.
“Our boys have given 100 percent this campaign even when they are playing players based in Europe that Ghana and Egypt possess and yet some lack playing time at their clubs.
“Being ahead of Ghana on the group table shows that we have managed to keep that team in the same shape that Micho left it in and the national team can only get better if our players join better teams,” Kajoba said.
There has been a school of thought calling for former Cranes skipper Ibrahim Sekagya to be permanently drafted in the team’s technical setup although his New York Red Bulls coaching contract still holds him back.
To Villa deputy coach and Uganda Football Players’ Association (UFPA) chairman Paul Mukatabala, Cranes should refocus on the Afcon campaign to qualify for Cameroon 2019.
He was supported by Fufa president Moses Magogo; “football development continues (after the World Cup qualifying setback). This has always been the case not just after the Saturday result.”