Newly appointed Cranes coach Mubiru relishing Chan challenge
Mubiru is in charge. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO
Uganda Cranes will start their 2020 Africa Nations Championship (Chan) qualifiers away to Somalia with a new man steadying ship - in the interim. Following national team head coach Sebastien Desabre leaving for Egyptian side Pyramids FC this week, Fufa announced Abdallah Mubiru would tentatively take charge and his first action is just in a fortnight. The Police FC tactician is looking forward to the challenge.
“I thank Allah for the opportunity and I’m ready to take it on,” Mubiru told Daily Monitor.
He will be assisted by Onduparaka coach Livingstone Mbabazi, with Sadiq Wassa tutoring goalkeepers and former Cranes captain Geoffrey Massa the team coordinator. The four were in charge of a second string Cranes team that competed at Cosafa Cup that was hosted in South Africa last month.
“I’m not surprised because when I was given the Cosafa assignment, I was preparing the team according to Sebastien Desabre’s plans,” added Mubiru, whose style of play fits Desabre’s offensive way.
“We shall use the Cosafa outcomes to prepare for Chan because it is the same players involved.”
Uganda drew their games with Lesotho and South Africa at Cosafa before losing in penalty shootouts.
Announcing the sweeping changes at Fufa House on Wednesday, which saw the entire Cranes coaching staff that were in Egypt disbanded, federation president Moses Magogo said applications for all posts were now open, including for Mubiru and company. “I will consider applying for the top post in future but for now I’m looking at Chan and working on the interim basis,” said Mubiru.
Mubiru will lead the Cranes for the first leg in Mogadishu the weekend of July 26 before the return leg from August 2.
The winner between Uganda and Cameroon will play victors between South Sudan and Burundi, which tie will produce Chan finalists in Cameroon 2020.
2020 CHAN QUALIFICATION
Hosts: Cameroon
Central Eastern Zone (First Round)
July 26 weekend, first leg
Burundi vs. South Sudan
Tanzania vs. Kenya
Djibouti vs. Ethiopia
Somalia vs. Uganda
August 2 weekend, return leg
*Second Round:
September 20-22, 2019: First Leg
October 18-20: Second Leg
