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Uganda has had Micho, paid him a reported salary of $25,000 and still missed out on qualifying for the AFCON two editions in a row.
Two days after parting ways with Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic, FUFA announced that they are searching for someone to replace the Serbian and manage the Uganda Cranes.
The federation has probably already received hundreds of emails and CVs from all over the world applying for the role and will have more coming in before the said deadline of September 22, 2023.
It will be interesting to see the kind of manager or team FUFA zeroed down on to manage the Cranes, a team whose transition has been slow -or rather static since the retirement of some of its key players.
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09:41 - 16.09.2023
FOOTBALL Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic: FUFA start search for Uganda Cranes head coach
Apart from Micho’s replacement, the federation is also looking for an assistant coach, goalkeeping trainer as well as a Strength and Conditioning coach.
Micho managed to qualify the Cranes for their first AFCON in 39 years, but he had a team of established pros plying their trade from across the world and quite experienced compared to the current lot.
The current Cranes side features a clearly tired Emmanuel Okwi, Khalid Aucho, Joseph Ochaya and Faruku Miya as the seasoned campaigners and a whole lot of newbies.
Some, like Elvis Bwomono and Bevis Mugabi, are in and out of the team, making it hard for them to establish themselves and form a solid spine for the Cranes to build around.
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09:39 - 10.09.2023
OPINION It is ok to blame Micho, but let us start with those we give our taxes
As a country that does not have any stadium that meets the minimum standards to host an AFCON Qualifiers match, what are you going to do at the AFCON? What business do you have there?
Anyway, I guess whoever is named the next coach will find all the solutions and make the Cranes part of the furniture at AFCON, and who knows, maybe take us to the World Cup.
But when the time comes for FUFA to make a decision, I hope it will be a local coach trusted with managing this delicate transition.
Uganda has had Micho, paid him a reported salary of $25,000 and still missed out on qualifying for the AFCON two editions in a row.
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And yet you also struggle to see progress in the team. Uganda will need a local coach who is well educated about Ugandan football and has vast knowledge of the young players coming through the ranks.
The idea of FUFA singing about a transition while clearly looking like they are working for results is sheer madness. A transition will have ups and downs in the beginning, and it requires patience.
Given time, Uganda has some coaches capable of constructing a team that will not only get results but also play the kind of football we all want to watch.
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When you imagine a Cranes team with players like Ibrahim Kasule, Allan Okello, Titus Sematimba, Marvin Nyanzi, Stephen Sserwada, Laban Tibita, Julius Poloto, Karim Watambala, Lawrence Bukenya, Mustafa Kizza, Yunus Ssentamu, Bobosi Byaruhanga, Muhammad Shaban and the likes, you wonder why Uganda cannot play entertaining football.
It has nothing to do with talent.
Some of these players could not get Micho’s trust simply because he is a safety-first kind of manager.
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19:41 - 14.09.2023
FOOTBALL Milutin 'Micho' Sredojevic: Right to fire him, but what about the timing?
Now, all the attention will turn to the Serbian Wolf and his time at the helm of the Cranes instead of the three big matches lined up for the opening day of the season.
But give the same players to Abdallah Mubiru, Sam Ssimbwa and Mike Mutebi and let’s see how they will play.
FUFA’s transition song should not focus on players alone. Without quality Ugandan coaches, we are wasting time and will keep changing those at the top even when they are not the problem.
And if Ugandans are not trusted to coach the Cranes, what are the chances that they will get opportunities elsewhere?
09:53 - 15.09.2023
FOOTBALL It is not Micho, Uganda's football challenges run deeper
While Coach Milutin Micho's Sredojevic departure from the Uganda Cranes head coach role may have garnered attention, Uganda's football woes are deeply rooted in systemic issues that require comprehensive solutions.
If indeed there was any transition taking place, Moses Basena and Fred Kajoba would have been elevated already to replace Micho and start from where he stopped.
But the two have also been asked to re-apply for their roles if they are still interested in keeping them, a clear indicator that there isn’t much trust in them to be an upgrade on Micho.
By now, FUFA should be having a list of local coaches to choose from. There have been several courses in this particular regime, and it would be unfortunate if, of all the coaches trained, no one meets the standards to oversee the senior national team.
11:25 - 15.09.2023
FOOTBALL In Micho, Karisa will miss a father, friend and mentor
The winger revealed Friday afternoon the kind of relationship he shared with Micho before wishing him the best in his endeavours.
Our coaches simply need a chance, trust and time.
And if they are paid as much as the former coach is to have been earning, why not demand results?
Life is about taking risks, and if hiring a local coach is considered a risk, it might be worth taking at this point in time.
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