Uganda Cranes is one of the very best in Africa- new coach McKinstry
Johnny McKinstry 2nd left, being unveiled at a press conference this morning. The Northern Irishman replaces Frenchman Sebastien Desabre, who quit after the Africa Cup of Nations finals for Egyptian side Pyramids FC. Photo by Andrew Mwanguhya
KAMPALA. Northern Irishman Johnny McKinstry was on Monday morning unveiled at Fufa House in Kampala as new Uganda Cranes coach on a three-year contract.
The former Rwanda and Sporting Saif coach takes over permanently from Frenchman Sebastien Desabre, who left the position in July for Pyramids FC after guiding Uganda to the last 16 of the 2019 Afcon finals in Egypt.
McKinstry, 34, arrives at a time the national team's fortunes are on the upward trend, and faces quite some task maintaining the trajectory, and even bettering it.
Former Cranes coach Micho Sredojevic helped the country end a four-decade absence from Afcon finals, while his successor Desabre not only maintained the Serbian's standards, but he qualified the team to the knockout stage.
"I have to say I'm very honoured and privileged that Fufa made me the offer to come and manage the team," McKinstry told the media, "We want to continue growing.
"The Uganda Cranes national team is one of the very best in Africa in terms of the team progressing and Fufa's vision, and I'm honoured and excited for weeks and months ahead."
McKinstry beat 2017 Africa Cup of Nations winning coach with Cameroon Hugo Broos and Belgian Luc Eymael, who are said to have made the final three, to the job.
Both coaches are said to have been impressive in the interviews, but it is not clear whether salary demands could have influenced Fufa's hand.
Broos, for example; commanded more experience having won the Nations Cup title with Cameroon but McKinstry's strong hands in youth development and raw desire could have worked in his favour.
Fufa CEO Edgar Watson said they considered "the age range, potential of the coach to fit in Fufa's vision of being number one in Africa on and off the pitch, and McKinstry do in well."
The youthful coach started on his coaching badges as a teenager. He worked at New York Red Bulls as a youth coach, before taking charge of Craig Bellamy Academy in Sierra Leone, from which he grew into the country's national team coach.
He then led Rwanda to the 2016 African Nations Championship quarterfinals in Kigali.
McKinstry has been coach of Bangladesh outfit Saif SC until he tendered in his resignation at the weekend before flying to Uganda.
His immediate role is to complete Abdallah Mubiru's work started on Burundi in the 2020 Chan qualifiers.
Mubiru and his erstwhile interim assistant Livingstone Mbabazi will work with McKinstry in the interim.
The Cranes host Burundi on October 18 after the first leg ended 3-0 in favour of Uganda. The winner will qualify for Chan 2020 finals tournament in Cameroon.
Uganda will then face Burkina Faso away and later host Malawi on November 11 anf 19 respectively in the 2021 Nations Cup qualifiers.
