KAMPALA – The Uganda Men’s National football team, the Cranes have entered residential camp on Monday, May 13th, as they start preparations for the upcoming 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.
A preliminary squad of 19 players entered camp at the Kabira Country Club in Bukoto, where they will stay for two weeks before they are trimmed.
During the camp, they will play two build-up games. One will come against the COSAFA bound Cranes on Thursday 23rd while the second will be against an unnamed opponent two days later.
After the games, it is then that head coach Sebastien Desabre will announce his 26 man squad for the Abudhabi camp from which the final 23 players who will be at the AFCON will be named.
Before flying to Egypt, the Cranes will play two more friendlies with one coming against an unnamed opponent on 9th June and the other against Ivory Coast on the 15th of the same month.
Monday was highlighted by Desabre’s media-meet where he made an official communication about the camp and also answered several questions.
While answering some of the questions posed to him, Desabre stressed that they are monitoring all players and that the country should not be worried about players who are currently not active.
“After the Tanzania game, we put in place a methodology to monitor all players like Hassan Wasswa and Walusimbi Godfrey where we get routine feedback about their progress on fitness levels, said the Frenchman.
“We have also been monitoring players who were recovering from an injury like Sadam Juma and Moses Waiswa.
“For me, the most important issue is preparing the boys to get ready for the game, continued Desabre.
“Our job is to prepare players for the official date which is 22nd June 2019.
“Many players had their seasons end early and I’m sure they don’t share the same fitness levels but then we shall prepare them for the six weeks we are to spend with them and by the time of the first game, they will all be on the level.
When asked whether he will be in charge of both the AFCON and COSAFA squad, Desabre had this to say;
“I can’t take charge of the two teams. We have coaches who were appointed to take charge of the COSAFA team and those are Abdallah Mubiru as head coach assisted by Morley Byekwaso, Sadiq Wassa as the goalkeeping coach while Geoffrey Massa as Team Coordinator.
A second team that will feature as a guest at the 2019 COSAFA Championship in South Africa was summoned last week. The COSAFA squad features players playing in both the StarTimes Uganda Premier League and FUFA Big League.
The team will start training on the 15th of this month (May) at the StarTimes Stadium in Lugogo.
To complete the squad, some players from the initial preliminary AFCON Squad will be considered for COSAFA tournament if they don’t travel to the United Arab Emirates.
At the championship, Uganda will start at the quarter-finals stage facing Lesotho.
Players who have reported to Camp at Kabira Country club and later trained at Mandela National Stadium, Nambole
Goalkeepers: Charles Lukwago (KCCA FC), James Alitho (URA FC).
Defenders: Bevis Mugabi (Yeovil Town FC), Disan Galiwango (Express FC), Godfrey Walusimbi (Unattached), Awanyi Timothy (KCCA FC), Halid Lwaliwa (Vipers SC), Mujuzi Mustafa (Proline FC).
Midfielders: Khalid Aucho (Churchill Brothers), Hassan Wasswa (unattached), Ibrahim Sadam Juma (KCCA FC), Tadeo Lwanga (Vipers SC), Allan Okello (KCCA FC), Moses Waiswa (Vipers SC).
Forwards: Daniel Isiagi (Al Nassr FC- Egypt), Allan Kyambadde (KCCA FC), Juma Balinya (Police FC), Patrick Kaddu (KCCA FC), Dan Mzee Sserunkuma (Vipers).
Total AFCON 2O19
Group A
-Egypt
-Democratic Republic of Congo
-Uganda
-Zimbabwe
Fixtures at AFCON
22/6/2019: Democratic Republic of Congo Vs Uganda
26/6/2019: Uganda Vs Zimbabwe
30/6/2019: Uganda Vs Egypt
