FUFA, early this week suspended average Cranes coach Jonathan Mckinstry.
FUFA have been silent since the mediocre display by the home based Cranes side at the CHAN tournament in Morocco. Mckinstry’s side failed to register a single win in a tournament the nation had high hopes. Many thanks to Abdallah Mubiru, who, orchestrated the qualification campaign.
The suspension of the Irishman comes at the peak of the brilliances of the national Hippos team under KCCA FC assistant manager Morley Byekwaso.
FUFA in awe of Byekwaso heroics
Byekwaso and his lads have shocked the entire continent by storming the final game of the tournament.
The youthful KCCA FC coach awakened the entire nation with a brand of football unknown to them at the national level.
This happened at the highest level of African football. The semi-final affair against Tunisia had many taken by surprise. The nation was pregnant with the display and the goals.
It still remains historic that our biggest performance at the highest level of continental football happened four decades ago. 75% of the nation was not born then.
This Saturday’s game will have the entire nation glued on their screens to get a true picture of the Uganda flag at a final Afcon game. What a moment!
The tactical brilliance of Morley Byekwaso and Abdallah Mubiru points to one thing. FUFA mustn’t wait for a coach to drop from the heavens to replace Mckinstry who in the first place should never have been considered.
Mutebi role in Byekwaso, Mubiru tactics
Mike Mutebi has played a father figure to the likes of Byekwaso and Abdallah Mubiru. Mubiru started his coaching trade at Kibuli SS where he coached the likes of Allan Okello and Poloto among others.
The youthful pair have gone on to perform exceptionally well in the respective assignments. Byekwaso would never have been kept that long at KCCA FC had he not been tactically brilliant. Mubiru is masterminding Police FC’s title challenge this year with thundering displays. The brilliances of Police forward Kakooza Derrick at the U-20 Afcon can greatly be credited to him.
Why FUFA must name Mutebi
It is therefore, baseless for the debate on Mike Mutebi to drag on and on. Mutebi’s time with the Cranes in 1997 with Frank Video Anyau were colourful and brought some hair-raising memories.
It may not be enough to say Mutebi has won titles with his current club KCCA FC to merit the Cranes job. But his stellar highlights against Africa’s top sides like Tunisian, Egyptian and Moroccan outfits should justify the notion that other than him there is nobody better placed to occupy the hot Cranes bench. Mutebi’s works at all levels; including COPA Coca Cola make him very rich for the nation.
He already has a thorough technical bench, something Mckinstry did not when he was appointed to the job. However, the comparisons above do not in any way try to picture Mutebi at the same level with the Irishman. Mutebi simply should have been handed this job right after the departure of Micho.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srM4TbHRwb4
Award winning journalist and writer who has worked as a stringer for a couple of acclaimed South Africa based German journalists, covered 3 Ugandan elections, 2008 Kenya election crisis, with interests in business and sports reporting.
