By Ashraf Ajobe Habib
Uganda Cranes performance in the opener of the CHAN against Zambia was a brave one and deserves respect.
The result as it turned out will sound defeating to a national who slept last night without watching the game but the French coach Sebastien Desabre exhibited bravery no other coach had.
Micho, Bobby Williamson and Laszlo Csaba were known for cautious approach when faced with superior opponents. They played defensive minded players as opposed to technically gifted attack-minded ones. As such Khalid Aucho, Hassan Wasswa, Musa Mude and Baba Kizito have been he main stay for the team under Micho, Williamson and Csaba. And this denied space for creative and attacking players like Stephen Bengo, Stephen Ssebuyira and Chrizestom Ntambi to provide the team chances in the third quarter of the pitch.
Desabre has chosen to provide space for creative players. In his starting team, he had Muzamilu Mutyaba, Sadam Juma, Milton Karisa and Allan Kyambadde. He accompanied his attacking lot with two flying fullbacks in Isaac Muleme and Nicholas Wadada. It was a brave statement to those around him on how he expects his teams to play. It is a big asking for the players, officials and the fans because he is introducing them to a new style. A style the nation has been yearning for years. Yes, Williamson was always brave enough at home and it explains why the fans adored him. Sebastien needs to be given all the time in this world and the resources to see through this project. CHAN is not going to bring out the best in him because he was just thrown into the oven without the needed preparation. We shouldn’t be too expectant as many have started insinuating.
We need to wait to see how he will merge the untested with the boys playing at the bigger stage. It is necessary he had to travel with the CHAN team to see some of the boys who are knocking at the senior door. Milton Karisa and Sadam Juma exhibited high standards which Sebastien will have noticed. Some of the other boys will need more playing time on the big scene. Shaban Muhammad wasn’t given a run. He will surely get his chance. Benjamin Ochan needs to seize his chance. They do not come so often. The third goal will have come too cheap and harsh for the fans and the technical bench. Such loopholes at this stage should least be entertained. Sebastien will have tasked Fred Kajoba, the head of the goalkeeping coach to speak to Ochan about his responsibilities and game reading. A tip off for a corner would have been much better.
Mike Mutebi will be helpful to the French tactician’s style. Mutebi is a sympathizer of the gifted players as he always wants to refer to them. Indeed there were eight KCCA stars in the team’s set up. Mutebi, the KCCA manager thinks teams should utilize the gifted players. At KCCA he has tried to walk the talk by securing creative players to his side. Sadam Juma had a stellar season at Express FC and Mutebi secured his services to add to other creative sparks in the team – Muzamilu Mutyaba and Allan Okello.
All need to support Sebastien as he moves to shape up an entertaining team to watch and a team for tomorrow.
