Cecafa President Eng. Leodgar Tenga addressing the press shortly after the draws in Dar es salaam this Wednesday. Looking on is the Cecafa General Secretary Nicholas Musonye
The Council of East and Central Africa Football Association (CECAFA) have this Wednesday conducted the 2011 Senior Challenge Cup draws with Uganda Cranes placed in Group B against Burundi, Zanzibar and Somalia.
Hosts Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Djibouti are in Group ‘A’. Group ‘C’ has Sudan, Kenya, Eritrea and Malawi. Cecafa General Secretary, Nicholas Musonye said they had the intentions to invite Ivory Coast and Zambia as guest teams but were blocked by the CAF rules.
“Cecafa had intended to invite Zambia and Ivory Coast but because of the CAF regulations forbidding teams that qualified for CAN to take part in any competition after the draws had been done made us withdraw their invitation and instead invited Malawi” said Musonye shortly after the draws. Malawi was formerly a member of the regional body.
The Cranes team is ranked the favourites in Group 'B' of this year's Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup. Abby Dhaira (front right) is set to be Uganda's first choice goal keeper as Onyango is likely to have club engagements
The detailed fixtures will be released by the end of the week. The tournament flags off on November 25, just a day after the elections of the new Cecafa executive.
FUFA President, Lawrence Mulindwa said the Cranes team will undergo residential training shortly after return from the LG Cup tournament in Morocco.
Sports analysts have branded group ‘C’ as the group of death and predicted a tough fight among Kenya, Sudan and Malawi.
Eritrea will be a surprise package when they qualify from this group.
Wasswa, Walusimbi and Musa Mudde are all in Morocco for the LG Cup
Cranes defender Hassan Wasswa joined the Cranes team in Casablanca, relieving the head Coach Bobby
Assistant Coach, Jackson Mayanja and Tonny Mawejje. Mayanja led the team and handed over to Bobby from Morocco
Williamson of the pressure after his club had attempted to block him on allegations that they had a crucial friendly match to play.
Wasswa had informed Coach Bobby that his club, Kayserispor FC was blocking his travel but FUFA intervened immediately. “This is contravening the FIFA statutes as regards the release of players on FIFA gazetted days”, reads part of the letter FUFA’s Technical Director, Asuman Lubowa wrote on behalf of the CEO currently in Morocco. “We hope that you will reverse your decision to allow the player join the team in Morocco”, Lubowa added.
Wasswa got lately cleared and therefore linked up with the rest of the teammates in Casablanca on Tuesday afternoon. St. George’s Isaac Isinde had earlier in the day joined the team from Istanbul. Brian Umony and Moses Oloya will be the last arrivals in Marrakech City today. The duo arrives around mid day this Wednesday.
Coach Bobby Williamson was the first member of the Ugandan delegation to arrive in Marrakech and was found already booked at Golf Hotel, a five star facility operated by Holiday Inn chain situated in the leafy palm resorts and Casino village. This is the same Hotel where the Sudanese National team is also accommodated.
Meanwhile Coach Bobby will have a five-minute address to the rest of the organizers and participants in Marrakech on Thursday morning according to the detailed program released by the organizers. The Scottish speech will relate to the status of the Cranes team.
Assistant coach Jackson Mayanja (right)and player Alishe Asuman joined by other players as they left the pitch after the team's last training this Monday morning
URA FC’s utility player, Alishe Asuman and Proline’s Kalungi Henry have registered their first inclusion on the Cranes’ final squad.
The duo will be part of the 20 players in total that travel for the LG Cup in Morocco. Sixteen players leave Entebbe Airport this Tuesday morning at 3:10am aboard Turkish Airlines. Four others that include Wasswa Hassan (Kayseri Ericiyesspor), Oloya Moses (Sai Gon XT), Isinde Isaac (St. George) and Umony Brian (Timbers FC, USA) will link up with the team in Casablanca before their final connection to Marrakech City around 9:ooam on Tuesday.
“It’s an opportunity for me to prove my worthiness and I shall offer the best” said Alishe shortly after the team’s last training session at Namboole Stadium Monday morning. The players traveling tonight include Dhaira Abby(IBV), Onyango Denis (Sundowns, SA), Masaba Simeon (URA), Kalungi Henry(Proline ), Walusimbi Godfrey, Alshe Asuman(URA), Kavuma Habib (APR, Rwanda), Kayizzi Vincent (URA)and Mutyba Mike (Bunamwaya).
Others are Serumaga Mike (St. George, Ethiopia), Mawejje Tonny (IBV), Mudde Musa (Sofapaka, Kenya), Kiiza Hamis (Yanga SC, Tanzania), Okwi Emmanuel (Simba SC, Tanzania), Ochan Patrick (TP Mazembe)and Ssentongo Robert (URA).
Mike Mutyba and APR's Habib Kavuma after the training at Namboole this Monday
Nine of the final squad players form the current U23 National team, seven of whom featured in the All Africa games in Maputo this year. These include Isinde Isaac, Walusimbi Godfrey, Habib Kavuma, Mutyaba Mike, Kiiza Hamis, Emmanuel Okwi and Oloya Moses.
Head coach Bobby Williamson Leaves Scotland late in the night this Monday for Morocco.The Ugandan delegation will be led by FUFA Zone 5 chairperson Rogers Byamukama and will also have Sam Lwere (Executive member), Mayanja Jackson (Assistant Coach), Muyinda Crispus (team coordinator), Dr. Kisolo Ronald and CEO Suubi Edgar Watson.
Sam Mpoza Kabuye, a sports journalist with NTV travels as the trip media officer.
The Cranes team this Saturday morning had their first successful 90 minute training session at Namboole stadium in preparation for the LG cup.
Assistant Coach Jackson Mayanja and Goalkeeper Coach James Kajoba were in charge of the team in absence of Head Coach Bobby Williamson. Arrangements have been finalised for the Scottish tactician to fly directly from Scotland to link up with the team in Casablanca, Morocco on Tuesday morning. Eleven players attended today’s training session.
Tonny Mawejje, Masaba Simeon, Walusimbi Godfrey, Kayizzi Vincent, Kakuba Alex, Guma Denis and Mike Mutyba attended this first training. Others were Abby Dhaira, Ochan Patrick, Mudde Musa and Kalungi Henry. Emma Okwi and Kiiza Diego are expected in the country this Saturday.
The team will not take the Iddi day celebrations break but resume training tomorrow (Sunday) and will also train on Monday morning before their expected flight in the evening. Meanwhile Massa Geoffrey will miss the trip following an injury he picked as his side played yesterday. The technical bench may now have to choose between Ssentongo Robert and Sserunkuuma Geoffrey to replace him.
(Posted by Rogers Mulindwa-Head of communications)
The Rt. Hon Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, Rebecca Kadaga visited the Cranes Camp in October and rewarded the players with UG Shs.10m
The Cranes and Sofapaka FC midfielder Musa Mudde is already in the country ahead of Uganda’s preparations for the LG Cup scheduled for Morocco next weekend, November 11-13.The Kenya based player arrived in the country this morning.
The Tanzanian duo comprising Emmanuel Okwi (Simba SC) and Kiiza Diego (Yanga SC) are expected this Saturday.
Meanwhile Mamelodi Sundowns Football club has cleared Cranes number one custodian, Denis Onyango to take part in the same tournament. “We confirm that we will release the player as requested” writes the club Administrative Manager Belinda Ndlovu from South Africa.
In another similar development, the Vietnam Football Federation has also responded positively towards the release of Moses Oloya who features for Club Sai Gon Xuan Thanh. “Our affiliated club is pleased to release player Moses Oloya to play for your National team” reads part of the response letter signed by Duong Nghiep Khoni the Federation deputy General Secretary.
FUFA CEO, Edgar Watson wrote to all concerned federations and he says the responses so far received were very good. Oloya’s team has however insisted that their player returns shortly after the game. “We wish you the great success in the forth coming matches and kindly request player Oloya Moses to return to our club right after 13th November 2011”, Duong Nghiep emphasized.
The Cranes team starts training this Saturday under assistant Coach Jackson Mayanja and may have to leave Entebbe on Monday evening without Head Coach Bobby Williamson currently in Scotland. The Federation is considering booking his flights straight from Scotland to Morocco.
(Posted by Rogers Mulindwa-Head of Communications)
As The Cranes Head Coach, Bobby Williamson takes his short holiday in Scotland, the Federation has finalized its arrangements to fly seven of its professional players direct to Casablanca City a head of the four Nations LG Cup.
The tournament that attracts Sudan, Cameroon and Uganda as guest teams will run between November 11 and 13. Morocco, the hosts is the fourth country. The Scottish tactician returns November 6 before the team flies out two days later.
FUFA Chief Executive Officer, Edgar Watson said this Wednesday morning that seven players; Oloya Moses (Vietnam), Sserumaga Mike (Ethiopia), Wasswa Hassan (Turkey), Umony Brian (USA), Massa Geoffrey (Cyprus), Isinde Isaac (Ethiopia) and Onyago Denis (South Africa) will link up with the rest of the team in Casablanca city. The move is intended to save the professional players from taking longer flights to Uganda before connecting to Morocco.
Second choice custodian Dhaira Abby, Tonny Mawejje (KSI), Musa Mudde (Kenya), Ochan Patrick (DR Congo), Kiiza Hamis and Okwi Emmanuel (Tanzania), will fly to Entebbe before travelling. Other players on the team will include Mike Mutyaba, Vincent Kayizzi, Kakuba Alex, Masaba Simeon, Walusimbi Godfrey, Owen Kasule and Guma Denis.
U$ 60.000 is at stake for the winners, U$ 30.000 for the second best placed team, U$ 20.000 for the place and U$ 10.000 for the fourth positioned team.
The FUFA Organising Committee for the Uganda-Kenya historical match has drawn a grand Stadium access plan.
Considering challenges of the previous game, a lot of pre-match planning meetings are taking place to leave no stone unturned.
The Committee has also considered the numerous requests from the corporate companies and high profile individuals who are willing to buy their extra comfort.
The Gold Tickets have been introduced at a fee of 120,000 UGX for only 1,ooo seats. These tickets will bear the seat numbers and are in the most prime area of the stadium. Gate 14, for those familiar with Mandela National Stadium, has been reserved for only the invited guests, and the rest of the seats totaling to 1000 have been put to sale at this premium fee .
For the very first time, all seats in gate 14 are numbered and the invitation cards and tickets for this bay will bear seat numbers. The professional ushers, marshals and stewards to be deployed in this bay shall only allow ticket bearers to take seats corresponding to their seat numbers indicated on the tickets
Furthermore, all the 50,000 UGX VIP tickets will bear seat numbers corresponding to the seats in gate 12 and Gate 15.
The Gold Tickets shall be sold together with the rest of the tickets
As part of the activities to prepare for the October 8 Afcon qualifiers match against Kenya’s Harambe stars, Fufa has opted for a divine intervention.
The Central planning Committee that sat on Wednesday evening under the chairmanship of the federation President, Lawrence Mulindwa resolved to have the whole weekend of September 30 to October 2nd as the designated days for special Cranes prayers across the country.
Friday September 30 goes for all the Muslim believers while the Saturday 1st October is earmarked for the Seventh-day Adventists. The Anglicans and the Roman Catholics will have their prayers on Sunday October 2nd. FUFA has required its top echelon and Uganda Cranes Players and Officials to attend the various
Fufa believes in this Godly strategy as being very key in the campaign to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. The Federation has
already dispatched off official communication letters to all heads of different religious sects to bless the proposal and include the Cranes match in their prayers on the days above.worship areas of their denomination on the worshiping days.
Our football fans are also requested to rally behind the program and offer individual prayers from their respective homes before and after the mass services.
Uganda has for the last two campaigns missed qualification narrowly and the
34 years of waiting is quite a long stretch that has to be cut short this time. The federation will ensure that it meets all its obligations related to this game on schedule. For God and my Country!
