Desabre to be unveiled as Cranes new coach

French born tactician Sébastien Desabre is expected to be announced as the new Uganda Cranes coach on today (Thursday).

The 41-year old coach reportedly tendered in his resignation letter to his employers Ismaily in Egypt early this week before he flew out of Cairo last evening. Ismaily officially announced his departure yesterday on the Club website.

He is expected to be unveiled as head coach this afternoon at the headquarters of the Federation of Uganda Football Association (Fufa) in Mengo.

Last week the Federation announced that Desabre together with former Rwanda coach Johnny McKinstry (Northern Irish, 32 years), Emilio Ferrera (Belgian, 50 years) and current Cranes interim coach Moses Basena had made it to the final shortlist for the job.

But an insider in the Federation told this reporter that although they would have wanted McKinstry who led Rwanda to the quarter final stage of the 2016 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN), they think he is still young to handle a team like Uganda that is quickly gaining in stature.

Desabre who has never handled a national team in the African continent is however favoured because he has handled several teams in Africa, has been coaching for many years and also his monthly pay will not be more than Shs90 million (US$25,000). The government is expected for the first time to pay more than 50 percent of the monthly salary of the new coach.

The Uganda Cranes coaching position became vacant after Serbian Milutin 'Micho' Sredojevic terminated his contract in July 2017 over unpaid wages of over about UGX191 million.

Desabre leaves Ismaily top of the Egyptian Premier League with 37 points from 16 games, while giants Al Ahly are second with 30 points from 13 games played. The French man has a rich club coaching profile after handling ESC Rocheville (France) as assistant, ASEC Mimosas (Cote D'Ivoire), CS Garoua (Cameroon), ES Tunis (Tunisia), Clube Recreativo Desportivo Libolo (Angola), Dubai Club (United Arab Emirates), JS Saoura (Algeria), Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco) and Ismaily.

His first task will be to lead Uganda Cranes at the 2018 Total Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) which runs January 13th to February 4th in Morocco. Uganda will play alongside Zambia, Namibia and Cote dÍvoire in Group B.