2022 World Cup: Revita, Kakooza forcing Micho’s hand for roles

To this end, there is tangible evidence that Uganda Cranes coach Micho Sredojevic is making tremendous inroads with his rebuilding plans.

In a new normal, the local based players outnumber the foreign based professionals as the race for the Qatar World Cup 2022 qualifiers reaches fever pitch.

Only 10 of the 24 players in camp ply their trade abroad with the starting XI this afternoon against Kenya at St Mary’s Stadium-Kitende looks more likely to be dominated by Uganda Premier League stars.

Lately, Micho has fallen in love with John Revita’s versatility and all indications in the last practice sessions point to the Serbian employing him as one of the holding midfielders at some point against Kenya and Mali on Sunday.

The ponytailed smooth operator, defensive pillar at UPL leaders KCCA, has dislodged Geoffrey Wasswa both in Micho’s plans and at Lugogo, where his coordinated  pairing with Denis Iguma offers a marvelous spectacle.

His intelligent game reading trait, coupled with his precise ball distribution, may force Micho’s hand at granting him a crucial role alongside Khalid Aucho and Bobosi Byaruhanga.

With usual suspect Tadeo Lwanga out of the picture, the debate is whether Micho can go out of his shell and field attack minded Paradou playmaker Allan Okello or stay true to himself and go for a defensively cautious Revita in the middle. Kenya, although out of the contest, boasts a solid midfield manned by Wilkins Ochieng,Anthony Wambani and Eric Omondi that may stretch Cranes to the limits.

Career rise

Before his burgeoning career was put to a grand halt by a 21-month knee injury layoff, Revita was at the cusp of making the senior national team, impressing in Chan and Cecafa engagements. He has since regained his midas touch at the right time when berths at the heart of defence and defensive midfield are still up for grabs for any player on top of his game.

Though poised for a cameo role in both games, Express box to box midfielder Mahad Kakooza is also a strong candidate for Micho, for his posessess the workrate and dynamism associated with players the 52-year-old Serb dies for. Vipers defender Livingstone Mulondo’s  take-no-prisoners  approach has thrust him into a tense three-way battle with teammate Halid Lwaliwa and Motherwell’s Bevis Mugabi for the role to partner Timothy Awany at centre-back.

Still lacking self-confidence, sturdy Mulondo impressed Micho when he came on against Rwanda at Kitende and Cranes regional tour in Kitgum last wek - and has featured prominently in all his training experiments. Don’t be surprised when he gets minutes to keep the defence, yet to concede, unbreached.